Criticality,degeneracy in injury-induced changes in primary afferent excitability (Ratte et al 2014)

"Neuropathic pain remains notoriously difficult to treat despite numerous drug targets. Here, we offer a novel explanation for this intractability. Computer simulations predicted that qualitative changes in primary afferent excitability linked to neuropathic pain arise through a switch in spike initiation dynamics when molecular pathologies reach a tipping point (criticality), and that this tipping point can be reached via several different molecular pathologies (degeneracy). ..."

Model Type: Neuron or other electrically excitable cell

Cell Type(s): Abstract Morris-Lecar neuron; Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) cell

Currents: I Na,t; I K

Model Concept(s): Action Potential Initiation; Pathophysiology

Simulation Environment: XPPAUT

References:

Ratté S, Zhu Y, Lee KY, Prescott SA. (2014). Criticality and degeneracy in injury-induced changes in primary afferent excitability and the implications for neuropathic pain. eLife. 3 [PubMed]