Spike Generation in Electroreceptor Afferents Introduces Additional Spectral Response Components by Weakly Nonlinear Interactions

of either sex. In our combined experimental and modeling approach, we identify these predicted nonlinear responses in those 31 out of 172 P-units that are characterized by low intrinsic noise. In contrast, the majority (22 out of 30) ampullary cells show nonlinear responses. Our results provide experimental evidence for nonlinear responses of spike generators in the weakly nonlinear regime. We conclude that such nonlinear responses occur in any sensory neuron that operates in similar regimes, particularly at near-threshold stimulus conditions.