We investigated the reliability of the timing of spikes in a spike train in a Morris-Lecar model with several extensions. A frozen Gaussian noise current, superimposed on a DC current, was injected. The neuron responded with spike trains that showed trial-to-trial variability. The reliability depends on the shape (steepness) of the current input versus spike frequency output curve. The model also allowed to study the contribution of three relevant ionic membrane currents to reliability: a T-type calcium current, a cation selective h-current and a calcium dependent potassium current in order to allow bursting, investigate the consequences of a more complex current-frequency relation and produce realistic firing rates.
Model Type: Neuron or other electrically excitable cell
Cell Type(s): Abstract Morris-Lecar neuron
Currents: I Na,t; I T low threshold; I K; I h; I_AHP
Model Concept(s): Bursting; Reliability
Simulation Environment: XPPAUT; MATLAB
Implementer(s): Zeldenrust, Fleur [fleurzeldenrust at gmail.com]
References:
Zeldenrust F, Chameau PJ, Wadman WJ. (2013). Reliability of spike and burst firing in thalamocortical relay cells. Journal of computational neuroscience. 35 [PubMed]