cns2004e

Abstract

High discharge variability in neurons driven by current noise.
Mathilde Badoual, Michael Rudolph, Zuzanna Piwkowska, Alain Destexhe and Thierry Bal

Neurocomputing 65: 493-498, 2005.

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Abstract
Cortical neurons in vivo show a highly irregular spontaneous discharge activity, characterized by a gamma statistics and coefficient of variation around unity. Modelling studies showed that this irregularity is a consequence of the high-conductance state caused by the ongoing activityin the cortical network. Here, we investigate to which extent this high discharge variability can be reproduced in vitro using current noise injection. In agreement with numerical studies, we found that equalizing the time constant of the noisy input with the membrane time constant may lead to an irregular discharge activity which, however, departs from a gamma statistics.