[sica07]

What I don't understand is the part about the supralinear/sublinear particularity of the dendrite. First, the article explains that: " If enough inputs are activated in the same small bit of dendrite then the sum of those simultaneous inputs will be bigger than the sum of each input acting alone (...) A bit of dendrite is “supralinear”: within a dendrite, 2+2=6." Further in the article, I find this explanation: "Because dendrites are naturally not linear: in their normal state they actually sum up inputs to total less than the individual values. They are sub-linear. For them 2+2 = 3.5". What makes the difference between a bit of dendrite spiting a sublinear vs. supralinear "result"? I feel that the difference lays in the 'if enough inputs are activated' vs. 'in their normal state'. If that's the case, what's the "normal state"? Could anybody help me understand this part?