Readme for the octave code associated with the publication Toth TI, Crunelli V. Estimation of the activation and kinetic properties of I(Na) and I(K) from the time course of the action potential. J Neurosci Methods. 2001 Oct 30;111(2):111-26. School of Biosciences, Physiology Unit, Cardiff University, P.O. Box 911, CF10 3US, Cardiff, UK. toth@cardiff.ac.uk Abstract: A detailed knowledge of the quantitative properties of the currents I(Na) and I(K) underlying the action potential is essential for a deeper understanding of neuronal excitatory processes. However, it is not always possible or practical to perform voltage-clamp measurements that usually provide the necessary data. In this paper, we present a method by which the activation and kinetic properties of these currents can be estimated from current-clamp data, more precisely from the time course of the action potential, provided some additional electrophysiological properties of the neurone are a priori known. We report results from thalamocortical neurones and a cortical pyramidal cell, and suggest that the method will work with other types of neurones, if their action potentials are primarily shaped by I(Na) and I(K). Please see the file users_guide.txt for usage instructions. These files were supplied by Dr T.I. Toth.