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Related Experiment Videos

Do neurons have a voltage or a current threshold for action potential initiation?

C Koch1, O Bernander, R J Douglas

  • 1Computation and Neural Systems Program, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125, USA.

Journal of Computational Neuroscience
|March 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Neural network models debate continuous firing rates versus delta pulses. This study reveals distinct voltage and current thresholds for action potential initiation in pyramidal cells, impacting firing rate dynamics.

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Area of Science:

  • Computational neuroscience
  • Biophysics
  • Neural modeling

Background:

  • Neural network models commonly use continuous firing rates or discrete delta pulses to represent neuronal output.
  • The biophysical basis for choosing between these representations, particularly concerning action potential initiation, remains debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the biophysical mechanisms underlying action potential initiation in a layer 5 pyramidal neuron.
  • To determine the appropriate output representation for neural network models based on cell biophysics.

Main Methods:

  • Numerical simulations of a layer 5 pyramidal cell from cat visual cortex with a passive dendritic tree and active somatic membrane.
  • Computation of steady-state and instantaneous current-voltage (I-V) relationships.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of somatic membrane potential and net somatic current during repetitive spiking.

    • Main Results:

    • Identified a current threshold (Ith) for sustained inputs and a voltage threshold (Vth) for rapid inputs, distinguishing action potential initiation mechanisms.
    • Demonstrated that physiological inputs to this cell do not exhibit a charge threshold (Qth) due to the dendritic tree.
    • Characterized a dynamic I-V relationship during spiking, showing diode-like behavior and defining parameters for firing frequency adaptation.

    Conclusions:

    • The choice of neuronal output representation in neural networks should consider the cell's specific biophysical properties, distinguishing between current and voltage thresholds.
    • The dynamic I-V relationship provides a framework for understanding how neurons adjust their firing frequency in response to input changes.