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Related Concept Videos

Resting Potential Decay01:15

Resting Potential Decay

The resting membrane potential of a neuron (-70mV) is sustained due to the selective ion permeability of the membrane. At the resting potential, the membrane is slightly permeable to ions like sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) and highly permeable to potassium ions (K+). Differences in the ions' concentration inside the cell compared to the outside are maintained by membrane transport proteins like channels and pumps.
At rest, the K+ is the main ion that moves across the membrane through...
Resting Potential Decay01:15

Resting Potential Decay

The resting membrane potential of a neuron (-70mV) is sustained due to the selective ion permeability of the membrane. At the resting potential, the membrane is slightly permeable to ions like sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) and highly permeable to potassium ions (K+). Differences in the ions' concentration inside the cell compared to the outside are maintained by membrane transport proteins like channels and pumps.
At rest, the K+ is the main ion that moves across the membrane through...
The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation01:19

The Role of Ion Channels in Neuronal Computation

A postsynaptic neuron usually receives numerous impulses from several other presynaptic neurons. The axon hillock of the postsynaptic neuron integrates all these signals and determines the likelihood of firing an action potential.
Sometimes a single EPSP is strong enough to induce an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. However, multiple presynaptic inputs must often create EPSPs around the same time for the postsynaptic neuron to be sufficiently depolarized to fire an action potential.
Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles01:24

Generation of Action Potential in Skeletal Muscles

Every cell in the body maintains a membrane potential due to an uneven distribution of positive and negative charges across its plasma membrane. The membrane potential is measured in millivolts and quantifies the difference in charge across the membrane.
Like neurons, muscle cells are also regarded as excitable due to their capacity to change in response to stimuli, primarily due to voltage-gated ion channels embedded in their plasma membranes, which get activated by alterations in the cell's...
The Resting Membrane Potential01:21

The Resting Membrane Potential

Overview
Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview01:21

Electrochemical Gradient and Channel Proteins: An Overview

An electrochemical gradient is a fundamental concept in biology and chemistry. It regulates the movement of ions across cell membranes. This movement is influenced by two factors:
The electrical gradient: The electrical gradient across cell membranes refers to the difference in electric charge between the inside and outside of a cell.  This difference drives the movement of ions towards or away from the cells. For instance, if the inside of the cell is more negatively charged relative to the...

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Multistability in a neuron model with extracellular potassium dynamics.

Xing-Xing Wu1, J W Shuai

  • 1Department of Physics and Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, People's Republic of China.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|September 26, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Extracellular potassium accumulation drives neuronal hyperexcitability and seizure-like activity. Dynamic potassium levels can lead to multiple stable firing patterns, revealing complex multistability in neuronal networks.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Computational Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Extracellular potassium ([K+]o) accumulation is implicated in neuronal hyperexcitability and epileptiform activity.
  • Synaptic mechanisms are not always required for seizure generation, suggesting alternative drivers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of extracellular potassium dynamics in neuronal excitability and seizure-like activity using a computational model.
  • To explore how potassium accumulation influences firing patterns and network stability.

Main Methods:

  • A physiologically relevant computational model of a hippocampal CA1 neuron was used in a zero-calcium environment.
  • Models with dynamic and fixed extracellular potassium concentrations were compared.
  • Bifurcation analysis and spiking frequency were studied to characterize neuronal behavior.

Main Results:

  • Extracellular potassium dynamics were shown to induce neuronal hyperexcitability and modulate bursting patterns.
  • The model demonstrated bistability and tristability, indicating multiple stable firing states.
  • Dynamical modulation of extracellular potassium ([K+]o) leads to emergent multistability in neuronal activity.

Conclusions:

  • Extracellular potassium accumulation is a critical factor in generating seizure-like neuronal activity.
  • The complex dynamics of extracellular potassium can lead to multistable firing patterns, offering insights into epilepsy mechanisms.