Advanced computer control of electrophysiological experimentation

A special configuration of the data acquisition software package Spike2 (CED) has been developed to allow interactive computer control of a current-clamp intracellular recording system. Using the 1401plus dedicated computer (CED) as an interface between the electrophysiological apparatus and a personal computer it was possible to have keyboard-control of intracellular current injection, single and repetitive pulse nerve stimulation, pressure ejection as well as on-going data acquisition. An analysis program was designed using the Spike2 programming language for the investigation of resting membrane properties, spike characteristics and synaptic input profiles of enteric neurones. The hardware configurations and associated software of our set-up may be of interest to electrophysiologists wishing to implement or extend a computer-based experimental system.