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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 29, 2026

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

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Published on: March 31, 2016

Connectivity, excitability and activity patterns in neuronal networks.

Joost le Feber¹, Irina I Stoyanova, Michela Chiappalone

¹University of Twente, Department of Biomedical Signals and Systems, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Technical Medicine, PO Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands. University of Twente, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, PO Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands.

Physical Biology

|May 16, 2014

Summary

Researchers developed a new method, single pulse response (SPR), to accurately measure network excitability in the brain. This technique minimizes bias from network activity, offering a clearer understanding of brain function and disease.

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Last Updated: Apr 29, 2026

Induction of an Isoelectric Brain State to Investigate the Impact of Endogenous Synaptic Activity on Neuronal Excitability In Vivo

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Published on: March 31, 2016

Electrophysiological and Morphological Characterization of Neuronal Microcircuits in Acute Brain Slices Using Paired Patch-Clamp Recordings

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Published on: January 10, 2015

Time-dependent Increase in the Network Response to the Stimulation of Neuronal Cell Cultures on Micro-electrode Arrays

Time-dependent Increase in the Network Response to the Stimulation of Neuronal Cell Cultures on Micro-electrode Arrays

Published on: May 29, 2017

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Computational Neuroscience
Systems Neuroscience

Background:

Synchronized neural firing patterns, seen in epilepsy, are linked to excessive network excitability.
Existing methods for measuring network connectivity, like conditional firing probability (CFP), are biased by dynamic network states.
A direct, reliable measure for network excitability has been lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and validate the single pulse response (SPR) as a novel, less biased measure of network excitability.
To assess the impact of dynamic network states on SPR compared to traditional CFP analysis.
To investigate how mild network activation affects excitability.

Main Methods:

Developed SPR by deconvoluting conditional firing probability (CFP) with the autocorrelation of the source electrode's firing.
Applied SPR and CFP analyses to cultured cortical networks.
Used neuromodulators (carbachol, ghrelin) to alter network activity and dynamic states.

Main Results:

SPR significantly reduces bias from dynamic network states compared to CFP.
Mild activation of cortical networks with carbachol and ghrelin altered firing patterns.
SPR analysis indicated that mild excitation may decrease overall network excitability, potentially via short-term synaptic depression.

Conclusions:

Single pulse response (SPR) offers a more robust measure of network excitability, less confounded by network dynamics.
The findings suggest SPR can reveal underlying changes in network excitability.
Mild network activation might paradoxically reduce excitability, highlighting the complex regulatory mechanisms in neural networks.