It has been found that in cultured Aplysia neurons bath applications of 40 mM cafffeine evokes oscillations of the membrane potential with about a 40 mV amplitude with a frequency of 0.2 to 0.5 Hz. The most probable mechanism of these caffeine-induced oscillations is inhibition of voltage-activated outward potassium current and, as can be seen from our mathematical modeling, slowdown of inactivation of inward sodium current. It seems likely that these oscillations have a purely membrane origin. Please see paper for results and details.
Model Type: Neuron or other electrically excitable cell
Cell Type(s): Aplysia cultured neuron
Model Concept(s): Activity Patterns; Bursting; Oscillations; Action Potentials; Invertebrate
Simulation Environment: SNNAP
Implementer(s): Komendantov, Alexander O [akomenda at tulane.edu]; Kononenko, Nikolai I [nik137 at lamar.colostate.edu]
References:
Komendantov AO, Kononenko NI. (2000). Caffeine-induced oscillations of the membrane potential in Aplysia Neurons. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology. 32