Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

08:08
Real-time Electrophysiology: Using Closed-loop Protocols to Probe Neuronal Dynamics and Beyond
Published on: June 24, 2015
Spike width and frequency alter stability of phase-locking in electrically coupled neurons
Ramana Dodla1, Charles J Wilson
1Department of Biology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA. ramana.dodla@utsa.edu
Biological Cybernetics
|April 18, 2013
Summary
Synchrony in coupled neurons is stable at low frequencies but can become unstable at high frequencies. Stability switches based on neuron firing properties like spike width and height.
Area of Science:
- Computational neuroscience
- Theoretical neuroscience
- Neuronal dynamics
Background:
- Understanding neuronal synchrony is crucial for brain function.
- Phase-locked states in electrically coupled neurons are fundamental to network dynamics.
- Previous studies often simplify neuron models, limiting applicability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the stability of phase-locked states in type-1 neurons.
- To analyze how parameters like frequency, spike width, and spike height influence synchrony and antisynchrony.
- To derive analytical expressions for stability boundaries.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing piecewise linear formulations for voltage profiles and phase response curves.
- Analyzing stability by computing the interaction function.
- Determining the boundaries of stability for synchronous and antisynchronous states.
Main Results:
- Synchrony is stable at low frequencies/small spike widths; antisynchrony is unstable.
- Stability reverses at high frequencies/large spike widths.
- Increasing the spike width-to-height ratio promotes stable synchrony over antisynchrony.
- Phase response curve skewness affects synchrony and antisynchrony boundaries.
Conclusions:
- Neuronal synchrony stability is highly sensitive to intrinsic neuronal properties and network frequency.
- The study provides analytical tools to predict phase-locking behavior in neuronal networks.
- These findings offer insights into the mechanisms underlying neural oscillations and information processing.
Related Concept Videos
Muscle Stimulation Frequency
The contraction strength of muscles is regulated by motor neurons, which modulate the frequency of action potentials dispatched to the motor units based on the body's requirements. This process of varying the muscle stimulation frequency allows muscles to contract with a force that is precisely tailored to the needs of the moment, whether lifting a feather or a heavy box.
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Wave summation
At low firing rates, motor neurons induce individual twitch contractions in muscle fibers. These twitches...
Time and frequency -Domain Interpretation of Phase-lag Control
Phase-lag controllers are widely used in control systems to improve stability and reduce steady-state errors. A dimmer switch controlling the brightness of a light bulb serves as a practical example of phase-lag control, gradually adjusting the bulb's brightness. Mathematically, phase-lag control or low-pass filtering is represented when the factor 'a' is less than 1.
Phase-lag controllers do not place a pole at zero, but instead influence the steady-state error by amplifying any finite,...
Phase-lag controllers do not place a pole at zero, but instead influence the steady-state error by amplifying any finite,...
Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation
The action potential is a complex electrical event that occurs in excitable cells, such as neurons and muscle cells. It consists of several distinct phases, each with specific characteristics.
Resting Phase:
In this phase, the cell's membrane is at its resting potential, typically around -70 millivolts (mV) for neurons. Inside the cell, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions (K+) and a lower concentration of sodium ions (Na+). Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed, and...
Resting Phase:
In this phase, the cell's membrane is at its resting potential, typically around -70 millivolts (mV) for neurons. Inside the cell, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions (K+) and a lower concentration of sodium ions (Na+). Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed, and...
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.
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.
Synaptic Signaling
Neurons communicate at synapses, or junctions, to excite or inhibit the activity of other neurons or target cells, such as muscles. Synapses may be chemical or electrical.
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...
Most synapses are chemical, meaning an electrical impulse or action potential spurs the release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. The neuron sending the signal is called the presynaptic neuron, and the neuron receiving the signal is the postsynaptic neuron.
The presynaptic neuron fires an action potential that...

