Fluctuating synaptic conductances recreate in vivo-like activity in neocortical neurons
Open accessAbstract
To investigate the basis of the fluctuating activity present in neocortical neurons in vivo, we have combined computational models with whole-cell recordings using the dynamic-clamp technique. A simplified 'point-conductance' model was used to represent the currents generated by thousands of stochastically releasing synapses. Synaptic activity was represented by two independent fast glutamatergic and GABAergic conductances described by stochastic random-walk processes. An advantage of this approach is that all the model parameters can be determined from voltage-clamp experiments. We show that the point-conductance model captures the amplitude and spectral characteristics of the synaptic conductances during background activity. To determine if it can recreate in vivo-like activity, we injected this point-conductance model into a single-compartment model, or in rat prefrontal cortical neurons in vitro using dynamic clamp. This procedure successfully recreated several properties of neurons intracellularly recorded in vivo, such as a depolarized membrane potential, the presence of high-amplitude membrane potential fluctuations, a low-input resistance and irregular spontaneous firing activity. In addition, the point-conductance model could simulate the enhancement of responsiveness due to background activity. We conclude that many of the characteristics of cortical neurons in vivo can be explained by fast glutamatergic and GABAergic conductances varying stochastically.
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Irregular neuronal firing can arise from fluctuating patterns of synaptic activity.
“First, it can arise from fluctuating patterns of synaptic activity [68, 69].”
From Chronic unpredictable stress induces depression-related behaviors by suppressing AgRP neuron activity (2021) · cites this paper as [68]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Destexhe, A., Rudolph, M., Fellous, J.-M., & Sejnowski, T. J.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
- ORCID
- Fellous, J.-M
- Venue
- Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-11
- Volume
- 107
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 13-24
- ISSN
- 0306-4522 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3320220
- OpenAlex
- W2152896566
- Cited by
- 642
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 30 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 31 · 2012: 28
- FWCI
- 12.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Statistical and Nonlinear Physics › stochastic dynamics and bifurcation
- Keywords
- neocortical neurons, GABAergic synapses, background activity, membrane potential fluctuations, spontaneous firing, prefrontal cortex, input resistance, neuronal excitability
- MeSH terms
- Action Potentials, Animals, Cats, Cell Compartmentation, Dendrites, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Ion Channels, Models, Neurological, Nerve Net, Neural Inhibition, Synaptic Transmission, Organ Culture Techniques, Stochastic Processes, Synapses, Tetrodotoxin, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Pyramidal Cells, Receptors, AMPA, Patch-Clamp Techniques, Glutamic Acid, Neocortex, Rats
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