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Janusz Szczepanski

Publications and source records attributed to Janusz Szczepanski.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Improving Liver Disease Diagnosis with SNNDeep: A Custom Spiking Neural Network Using Diverse Learning Algorithms

Purpose: Spiking neural networks (SNNs) have recently gained attention as energy-efficient, biologically plausible alternatives to conventional deep learning models. Their application in high-stakes biomedical imaging remains almost entirely unexplored. Methods: This study introduces SNNDeep, the first tailored SNN specifically optimized for binary classification of liver health status from computed tomography (CT) features. To ensure clinical relevance and broad generalizability, the model was developed and evaluated using the Task03\Liver dataset from the Medical Segmentation Decathlon (MSD), a standardized benchmark widely used for assessing performance across diverse medical imaging tasks. We benchmark three fundamentally different learning algorithms, namely Surrogate Gradient Learning, the Tempotron rule, and Bio-Inspired Active Learning across three architectural variants: a fully customized low-level model built from scratch, and two implementations using leading SNN frameworks, i.e., snnTorch and SpikingJelly. Hyperparameter optimization was performed using Optuna. Results: Our results demonstrate that the custom-built SNNDeep consistently outperforms framework-based implementations, achieving a maximum validation accuracy of 98.35%, superior adaptability across learning rules, and significantly reduced training overhead. Conclusion:This study provides the first empirical evidence that low-level, highly tunable SNNs can surpass standard frameworks in medical imaging, especially in data-limited, temporally constrained diagnostic settings, thereby opening a new pathway for neuro-inspired AI in precision medicine.

cs.NE↗

Learning Internal Biological Neuron Parameters and Complexity-Based Encoding for Improved Spiking Neural Networks Performance

This study proposes a novel learning paradigm for spiking neural networks (SNNs) that replaces the perceptron-inspired abstraction with biologically grounded neuron models, jointly optimizing synaptic weights and intrinsic neuronal parameters. We evaluate two architectures, leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) and a meta-neuron model, under fixed and learnable intrinsic dynamics. Additionally, we introduce a biologically inspired classification framework that combines SNN dynamics with Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC), enabling efficient and interpretable classification of spatiotemporal spike data. Training is conducted using surrogate-gradient backpropagation, spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), and the Tempotron rule on spike trains generated from Poisson processes, widely adopted in computational neuroscience as a standard stochastic model of neuronal spike generation due to their analytical tractability and empirical relevance. Learning intrinsic parameters improves classification accuracy by up to 13.50 percentage points for LIF networks and 8.50 for meta-neuron models compared to baselines tuning only network size and learning rate. The proposed SNN-LZC classifier achieves up to 99.50% accuracy with sub-millisecond inference latency and competitive energy consumption. We further provide theoretical justification by formalizing how optimizing intrinsic dynamics enlarges the hypothesis class and proving descent guarantees for intrinsic-parameter updates under standard smoothness assumptions, linking intrinsic optimization to provable improvements in the surrogate objective.

cs.NE↗

Accuracy-Efficiency Trade-Offs in Spiking Neural Networks: A Lempel-Ziv Complexity Perspective on Learning Rules

Training spiking neural networks (SNNs) remains challenging due to temporal dynamics, non-differentiability of spike events, and sparse event-driven activations. This paper studies how the choice of learning paradigm (unsupervised, supervised, and hybrid) affects classification performance and computational cost in temporal pattern recognition. Building on our earlier study [Rudnicka et al., 2026], we use Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) as a compact, decision-relevant descriptor of spike-train temporal organization to quantify how different learning rules reshape class-conditional temporal structure. The pipeline combines a leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) SNN with an LZC-based decision rule. We evaluate learning rules on synthetic sources with controlled temporal statistics (Bernoulli, two-state Markov, and Poisson spike processes) and on two-class subsets of MNIST and N-MNIST. Across datasets, gradient-based learning achieves the highest accuracy but at high computational cost, whereas bio-inspired rules (e.g., Tempotron and SpikeProp) offer favorable accuracy--efficiency trade-offs. These results highlight that selecting a learning rule should be guided by application constraints and the desired balance between separability and computational overhead.

cs.AI↗

Impact of Neuron Models on Spiking Neural Networks performance. A Complexity Based Classification Approach

This study explores how the selection of neuron models and learning rules impacts the classification performance of Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), with a focus on applications in bio-signal processing. We compare biologically inspired neuron models, including Leaky Integrate-and-Fire (LIF), metaneurons, and probabilistic Levy-Baxter (LB) neurons, across multiple learning rules, including spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), tempotron, and reward-modulated updates. A novel element of this work is the integration of a complexity-based decision mechanism into the evaluation pipeline. Using Lempel-Ziv Complexity (LZC), a measure related to entropy rate, we quantify the structural regularity of spike trains and assess classification outcomes in a consistent and interpretable manner across different SNN configurations. To investigate neural dynamics and assess algorithm performance, we employed synthetic datasets with varying temporal dependencies and stochasticity levels. These included Markov and Poisson processes, well-established models to simulate neuronal spike trains and capture the stochastic firing behavior of biological neurons.Validation of synthetic Poisson and Markov-modeled data reveals clear performance trends: classification accuracy depends on the interaction between neuron model, network size, and learning rule, with the LZC-based evaluation highlighting configurations that remain robust to weak or noisy signals. This work delivers a systematic analysis of how neuron model selection interacts with network parameters and learning strategies, supported by a novel complexity-based evaluation approach that offers a consistent benchmark for SNN performance.

q-bio.NC↗

Artificial Intelligence-based algorithms in medical image scan seg-mentation and intelligent visual-content generation -- a concise overview

Recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based algorithms have revolutionized the medical image segmentation processes. Thus, the precise segmentation of organs and their lesions may contribute to an efficient diagnostics process and a more effective selection of targeted therapies as well as increasing the effectiveness of the training process. In this context, AI may contribute to the automatization of the image scan segmentation process and increase the quality of the resulting 3D objects, which may lead to the generation of more realistic virtual objects. In this paper, we focus on the AI-based solutions applied in the medical image scan segmentation, and intelligent visual-content generation, i.e. computer-generated three-dimensional (3D) images in the context of Extended Reality (XR). We consider different types of neural networks used with a special emphasis on the learning rules applied, taking into account algorithm accuracy and performance, as well as open data availability. This paper attempts to summarize the current development of AI-based segmentation methods in medical imaging and intelligent visual content generation that are applied in XR. It concludes also with possible developments and open challenges in AI application in Extended Reality-based solutions. Finally, the future lines of research and development directions of Artificial Intelligence applications both in medical image segmentation and Extended Reality-based medical solutions are discussed

q-bio.NC↗

Does a larger neural network mean greater information transmission efficiency?

Realistic modeling of brain involves large number of neurons. The important question is how this size affects transmission efficiency? Here, these issue is studied in terms of Shannon's Theory. Mutual Information between input and output signals for simple class of networks with an increasing number of neurons is analyzed theoretically and numerically. Levy-Baxter neural model is applied. It turned out, that for these networks the Mutual Information converges, with increasing size, asymptotically very slowly to saturation level. This suggests that from certain level, the increase of neurons number does not imply significant increase in transmission efficiency, contributes rather to reliability.

q-bio.NC↗

How far can neural correlations reduce uncertainty? Comparison of Information Transmission Rates for Markov and Bernoulli processes

The nature of neural codes is central to neuroscience. Do neurons encode information through relatively slow changes in the emission rates of individual spikes (rate code), or by the precise timing of every spike (temporal codes)? Here we compare the loss of information due to correlations for these two possible neural codes. The essence of Shannon's definition of information is to combine information with uncertainty: the higher the uncertainty of a given event, the more information is conveyed by that event. Correlations can reduce uncertainty or the amount of information, but by how much? In this paper we address this question by a direct comparison of the information per symbol conveyed by the words coming from a binary Markov source (temporal codes) with the information per symbol coming from the corresponding Bernoulli source (uncorrelated, rate code source). In a previous paper we found that a crucial role in the relation between Information Transmission Rates (ITR) and Firing Rates is played by a parameter s, which is the sum of transitions probabilities from the no-spike-state to the spike-state and vice versa. It turned out that also in this case a crucial role is played by the same parameter s. We found bounds of the quotient of ITRs for these sources, i.e. this quotient's minimal and maximal values. Next, making use of the entropy grouping axiom, we determined the loss of information in a Markov source in relation to its corresponding Bernoulli source for a given length of word. Our results show that in practical situations in the case of correlated signals the loss of information is relatively small, thus temporal codes, which are more energetically efficient, can replace the rate code effectively. These phenomena were confirmed by experiments.

q-bio.QM↗

Temporal code versus rate code for binary Information Sources

Neuroscientists formulate very different hypotheses about the nature of neural code. At one extreme, it has been argued that neurons encode information in relatively slow changes of individual spikes arriving "rates codes" and the irregularity in the spike trains reflects noise in the system, while in the other extreme this irregularity is the temporal codes thus the precise timing of every spike carries additional information about the input. It is known that in the estimation of Shannon information the patterns and temporal structures are taken into account, while the rate code is determined by firing rate. We compare these types of codes for binary Information Sources which model encoded spike-trains. Assuming that the information transmitted by a neuron is governed by uncorrelated stochastic process or by process with a memory we compare the information transmission rates carried by such spike-trains with their firing rates. We showed that the crucial role in the relation between information and firing rates is played by a quantity which we call "jumping" parameter. It corresponds to the probabilities of transitions from no-spike-state to the spike-state and vice versa. For low values of jumping parameter the quotient of information and firing rates is monotonically decreasing function of firing rate, thus there is straightforward, one-to-one, relation between temporal and rate codes. On the contrary, it turns out that for large enough jumping parameter this quotient is non-monotonic function of firing rate and it exhibits a global maximum, in this case optimal firing rate exists. Moreover, there is no one-to-one relation between information and firing rates, so the temporal and rate codes differ qualitatively. This leads to the observation that the behavior of the quotient of information and firing rates for large jumping parameter is important in the context of bursting phenomena.

q-bio.NC↗

On the Distribution Function of the Complexity of Finite Sequences

Investigations of complexity of sequences lead to important applications such as effective data compression, testing of randomness, discriminating between information sources and many others. In this paper we establish formulas describing the distribution functions of random variables representing the complexity of finite sequences introduced by Lempel and Ziv in 1976. We show that the distribution functions depend in an affine way on the probabilities of the so called "exact" sequences.

math.PR↗