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Estimation of synaptic conductances.

Antoni Guillamon¹, David W McLaughlin, John Rinzel

¹Department de Matemàtica Aplicada I, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Dr. Marañón n. 44-50, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. antoni.guillamon@upc.edu

Journal of Physiology, Paris

|November 7, 2006

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Estimating synaptic conductances (gE(t) and gI(t)) in neurons is crucial for understanding sensory processing. However, neuronal spiking introduces errors, making estimates during spiking phases unreliable for accurate interpretation.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Systems Neuroscience

Background:

Understanding cortical circuitry requires accurate estimation of synaptic input fields driving neurons.
Estimating net synaptic conductance time courses for excitation (gE(t)) and inhibition (gI(t)) is essential for analyzing sensory information processing.
Neuronal spiking can introduce intrinsic conductance transients that confound these estimates.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and mechanistically understand errors in estimating synaptic conductances due to neuronal spiking.
To illustrate the impact of spike-generating conductances on the accuracy of gE(t) and gI(t) estimations.
To provide caution regarding interpretations based on conductance estimates derived during spiking activity.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

Utilized a conductance-based pyramidal neuron model to simulate synaptic input scenarios.
Employed a typical estimation procedure involving current-voltage relation approximation across repeated stimuli with varying bias currents.
Simulated two synaptic input scenarios: a push-pull arrangement and stochastic network activity from visual cortex models.

Main Results:

Estimates of synaptic conductances were accurate during non-spiking phases.
Estimates derived during spiking phases were significantly confounded by spike-generating conductances.
In some cases, the polarity of inhibitory conductance (gI) was mis-estimated, showing an increase when it actually decreased.

Conclusions:

Spike-generating conductances introduce substantial errors in estimating synaptic conductances (gE(t) and gI(t)).
Estimates obtained during neuronal spiking should be viewed with skepticism and may jeopardize functional interpretations.
Researchers should exercise caution when interpreting synaptic conductance estimates derived from data including neuronal spiking phases.