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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.
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Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo
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Axonal noise as a source of synaptic variability.

Ali Neishabouri1, A Aldo Faisal2

  • 1Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.

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|May 10, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Axonal ion channel noise significantly impacts action potential (AP) waveforms in thin axons, causing variability in post-synaptic potentials (PSPs). This axonal variability can explain a substantial portion of observed PSP fluctuations in the brain.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biophysics
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Post-synaptic potential (PSP) variability is traditionally linked to synaptic mechanisms.
  • Recent research suggests axons may play a more significant role in neural signal variability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of axonal ion channel noise on action potential (AP) waveform variability.
  • To determine the extent to which AP fluctuations explain observed PSP variability.

Main Methods:

  • Biophysical modeling and stochastic simulations of vertebrate and invertebrate axons.
  • Analysis of AP waveform parameters (height, width) and their relationship to axonal diameter.
  • Translating AP variability into PSP variability using synaptic transmission models.

Main Results:

  • Ion channel noise in thin axons (<1 µm diameter) causes significant random fluctuations in AP waveforms.
  • AP height and width variability increase with decreasing axonal diameter, following a power-law relationship.
  • Axonal noise alone can account for up to 50% of PSP variability in certain mammalian cerebellar synapses.

Conclusions:

  • Axonal variability is a considerable factor influencing synaptic response variability.
  • The impact of axonal noise on synaptic transmission may be overlooked in standard experimental setups.
  • Understanding molecular noise sources in axons is crucial for comprehending variability at higher biological organization levels.