NEURON TUTORIAL FOR IMPLEMENTING SIMULATIONS OF NETWORKS 
                   OF THALAMIC RETICULAR NEURONS

                          Alain Destexhe
		Laboratory for Computational Neuroscience
	Unité de Neurosciences Intégratives et Computationnelles (UNIC)
	Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
			91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France 

	    Formerly from (when this work was created):
            Department of Physiology, Laval University,
                      Quebec G1K 7P4, Canada

                       Destexhe@iaf.cnrs-gif.fr
                     http://cns.iaf.cnrs-gif.fr/Main.html


This package is running with the NEURON simulation program written by Michael
Hines and available on internet at:
  http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/
  http://neuron.duke.edu/

The package contains mechanisms (.mod files) and programs (.oc files) needed
to simulate networks of thalamic reticular (RE) neurons interacting with
inhibitory synapses.  The approach followed here uses the object-oriented
facilities of NEURON to simulate networks, and can be applied to other types
of neurons and/or other types of synaptic interactions.  

This model studies the genesis of 10Hz oscillations by inhibitory networks of
RE neurons in the thalamus.  Each neuron is described by a single-compartment
containing voltage- and calcium-dependent currents described by Hodgkin-Huxley
type of model.  Synaptic interactions are handled by kinetic models of
postsynaptic receptors of the GABA_A and GABA_B types.  

The models given here are described in detail in the following paper:

  Destexhe, A., Contreras, D., Sejnowski, T.J. and Steriade, M.  
  A model of spindle rhythmicity in the isolated thalamic reticular nucleus. 
  Journal of Neurophysiology, 72: 803-818, 1994.

A postscript version of this paper, including figures, is available on
internet at 
  http://cns.iaf.cnrs-gif.fr/Main.html
  
  PROGRAMS
  ========

Each program reproduces one figure of the paper:

Fig5A.hoc  :  2 neurons connected with GABA_A synapses
Fig5B.hoc  :  2 neurons connected with GABA_A synapses + self-connections
Fig6A.hoc  :  5 neurons connected with GABA_A synapses (first-neighbor)
Fig6B.hoc  :  5 neurons connected with GABA_A synapses (first-neighbor+self)
Fig6C.hoc  :  5 neurons connected with GABA_A synapses (2nd-neighbor)
Fig6D.hoc  :  5 neurons connected with GABA_A synapses (all-to-all)
Fig13A.hoc :  2 neurons connected with GABA_B synapses
Fig13B.hoc :  2 neurons connected with GABA_B synapses + self-connections


  MECHANISMS
  ==========

HH2.mod         : Hodgkin-Huxley kinetics for action potentials
IT2.mod         : low-threshold calcium current of thalamic RE neurons
IAHP.mod        : calcium-activated K+ current responsible for AHP
ICAN.mod        : calcium-activated nonspecific cation current
capump.mod      : calcium clearance mechanisms

gaba.mod        : two-state kinetic model for GABA_A receptors
gabab1.mod      : two-state kinetic model for GABA_B receptors


  HOW TO RUN
  ==========

Use autolaunch on modeldb or:

unix platform:

  To compile the demo, NEURON and INTERVIEWS must be installed and working on
  the machine you are using.  Just type "nrnivmodl" to compile the mechanisms
  given in the mod files.

  Then, execute the main demo program by typing:

  nrngui mosinit.hoc

mswin platform:

  Compile the mechanism (mod) files by using mknrndll.  Then start the simulation
  by clicking on mosinit.hoc in windows explorer.

back to any platform:

Once the menu and graphics interface has appeared, click on a simulation from
the Simulations of thalamic reticular network window.  Reposition the windows
to find the Run Control window.  Then click on "Init and Run" button to start
the simulation on the RunControl window.  

For more information about how to get NEURON and how to install it, please
refer to the following sites:
  http://www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/
  http://neuron.duke.edu/

For further information, please contact:

Alain Destexhe
Laboratory for Computational Neuroscience
Unité de Neurosciences Intégratives et Computationnelles (UNIC)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France 

Destexhe@iaf.cnrs-gif.fr
http://cns.iaf.cnrs-gif.fr/Main.html

7/11/2005 this model updated to close windows and reopen a run control
window between simulations.

ModelDB-Note: This model updated for NEURON version 4.3.1 and higher.

10-2007: AD, better synaptic mechanisms using counters
20120106 changed mod files for better solve methods (avoid euler)
as per web page http://www.neuron.yale.edu/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=592