A method for evaluating an effect of a psychotropic compound or a treatment on a neuronal activity of an animal including determining a change in the amount of information generated by neurons in response to at least one repeatedly applied stimulus, wherein the change is caused by administering the psychotropic compound or a treatment. Also provided is a method of screening psychotropic compounds for effectiveness on an animal which involves using a change in sensory discrimination in a population of neurons of the animal, wherein the sensory discrimination is obtained in response to one or more stimuli repeatedly applied to the animal and wherein a change in the sensory discrimination occurs due to administering said psychotropic compounds to the animal.
METHOD TO QUANTITATIVELY MEASURE EFFECT OF PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS ON SENSORY DISCRIMINATION