Probability of Repeating Patterns in Simultaneous Neural Data

Large data sets arising from neurophysiological experiments are frequently observed with repeating temporal patterns. Our ability to decode these patterns is dependent on the development of methods to assess whether the patterns are significant or occurring by chance. Given a hypothesized sequence within these data, we derive probability formulas to allow assessment of the likelihood of recurrence occurring by chance. We illustrate our approach using data from hippocampal neurons from awake, behaving rats.