Paper Info
Title
Synchronization of Strongly Coupled Excitatory Neurons: Relating Network Behavior to Biophysics.
Abstract
Behavior of a network of neurons is closely tied to the properties of the individual neurons. We study this relationship in models of layer II stellate cells (SCs) of the medial entorhinal cortex. SCs are thought to contribute to the mammalian theta rhythm (4-12 Hz), and are notable for the slow ionic conductances that constrain them to fire at rates within this frequency range. We apply "spike time response" (STR) methods, in which the effects of synaptic perturbations on the timing of subsequent spikes are used to predict how these neurons may synchronize at theta frequencies. Predictions from STR methods are verified using network simulations. Slow conductances often make small inputs "effectively large"; we suggest that this is due to reduced attractiveness or stability of the spiking limit cycle. When inputs are (effectively) large, changes in firing times depend nonlinearly on synaptic strength. One consequence of nonlinearity is to make a periodically firing model skip one or more beats, often leading to the elimination of the anti-synchronous state in bistable models. Biologically realistic membrane noise makes such "cycle skipping" more prevalent, and thus can eradicate bistability. Membrane noise also supports "sparse synchrony," a phenomenon in which subthreshold behavior is uncorrelated, but there are brief periods of synchronous spiking.
Year
DOI
Venue
2003
10.1023/A:1024474819512
Journal of Computational Neuroscience
Keywords
Field
DocType
synchrony,phase response,theta rhythm,cycle skipping,membrane noise
Bistability,Neuroscience,Synchronization,Entorhinal cortex,Phase response,Excitatory postsynaptic potential,Limit cycle,Subthreshold conduction,Theta rhythm,Mathematics
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
15
1
0929-5313
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
39
3.70
14
Authors
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Corey D. Acker1555.50
N Kopell2742121.87
John A. White326641.37