# Coincidence detectors

**URL:** <https://discourse.numenta.org/t/coincidence-detectors/3249>\
**Category:** General Neuroscience\
**Created:** [January 6, 2018, 6:27pm UTC](https://discourse.numenta.org/t/coincidence-detectors/3249 "2018-01-06T18:27:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ed\_Pell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Ed\_Pell](https://discourse.numenta.org/u/Ed_Pell)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2018, 6:27pm UTC](https://discourse.numenta.org/t/coincidence-detectors/3249/1 "2018-01-06T18:27:33Z")

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What is the belief of the neuroscience on the behavior of distal dendritic compartments as coincidence detectors. I had thought is was canonical knowledge but I now see their are neuroscientists who do not believe this. What is the breakdown of the community?

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**Author:** ![jhawkins](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.numenta.org/jhawkins/32/278_2.png) [@jhawkins](https://discourse.numenta.org/u/jhawkins)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 12:43am UTC](https://discourse.numenta.org/t/coincidence-detectors/3249/2 "2018-01-07T00:43:33Z")

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Ed,  
A few decades ago, no one knew about dendritic spikes. Now it is pretty universally accepted that they occur. Whether dendritic spikes play a functional role is not universally accepted. The idea that dendritic spikes act as coincidence detectors has been around for a few years. However, as far as I know the HTM neuron model and the HTM networks are the only models that take advantage of dendrtic spikes. We introduced the idea that denditic spikes depolarize cells as a means of prediction and processing in networks.

I would say many neuroscientists are not even aware of the idea that dendritic spikes can act as coincidence detectors. I don’t know what percentage.  
Jeff

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**Author:** ![Ed\_Pell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6bbea6/32.png) [@Ed\_Pell](https://discourse.numenta.org/u/Ed_Pell)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2018, 9:47pm UTC](https://discourse.numenta.org/t/coincidence-detectors/3249/3 "2018-01-07T21:47:52Z")

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Thanks Jeff, this is exciting we are still in the wild west days for neuroscience.