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Related Concept Videos

Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...
Action Potentials01:41

Action Potentials

Overview
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
Neuronal Communication01:28

Neuronal Communication

Neurons, the fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, communicate through complex electrochemical signals that underpin all cognitive and bodily functions. This communication is primarily facilitated by a process involving the generation and propagation of an action potential along the axon of the neuron. When the internal electrical charge of a neuron surpasses a certain threshold, an action potential is triggered. This rapid change in voltage travels swiftly along the axon to the...
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters01:29

Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters

When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of specific...

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Voltage-sensitive Dye Recording from Axons, Dendrites and Dendritic Spines of Individual Neurons in Brain Slices
12:51

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Published on: November 29, 2012

Active dendrites enhance neuronal dynamic range.

Leonardo L Gollo1, Osame Kinouchi, Mauro Copelli

  • 1Laboratório de Física Teórica e Computacional, Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil. leonardo@ifisc.uib-csic.es

Plos Computational Biology
|June 13, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Active conductances in dendrites significantly enhance neuronal dynamic range, enabling complex computations. This study reveals that dendritic excitability is crucial for processing information across a wider range of input rates.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Neuroscience
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Neurons exhibit dendritic excitability via voltage-gated ion channels.
  • The precise computational role of dendritic excitability has remained largely elusive despite extensive research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional role of active dendritic conductances in neuronal computation.
  • To determine if dendritic excitability enhances the dynamic range of neuronal output.

Main Methods:

  • A biophysical model of an active dendritic tree was developed.
  • The model's response to varying afferent rates was analyzed using principles of excitable media.

Main Results:

  • The average output of the active dendritic tree model showed a highly non-linear response to afferent rates.
  • The model achieved an exceptionally large dynamic range exceeding 50 dB.
  • The model reproduced experimentally observed double-sigmoid response functions in retinal ganglion cells.

Conclusions:

  • Enhancement of dynamic range is proposed as the primary function of active dendritic conductances.
  • Predictions include a positive correlation between dendritic tree size and dynamic range.
  • Blocking active conductances is predicted to decrease neuronal dynamic range.