cns99b

Abstract
Consequences of correlated synaptic bombardment on the responsiveness of neocortical pyramidal neurons.
Nicolas Hô, Helmut Kroger and Alain Destexhe

Neurocomputing 32-33: 155-160, 2000.

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Abstract
Model neocortical pyramidal neurons were investigated to evaluate the impact of correlated synaptic bombardment on cellular responsiveness. The responses to simulated glutamatergic (AMPA-mediated) excitatory inputs were analyzed by comparing correlated and uncorrelated background activity. Pyramidal cells behaved stochastically, consistent with the high variability of responses typically observed in vivo. Interestingly, the responsiveness was enhanced in the presence of correlated background activity, allowing the neuron to respond to inputs that would normally be subthreshold. We suggest that during active states, neocortical neurons should be described by stochastic equations which may better reflect their behavior, compared to a deterministic description.
See also the following related articles:

Hô N and Destexhe A. Synaptic background activity enhances the responsiveness of neocortical pyramidal neurons. Journal of Neurophysiology 84: 1488-1496, 2000.

Destexhe A and Paré D, Impact of network activity on the integrative properties of neocortical pyramidal neurons in vivo. Journal of Neurophysiology 81: 1531-1547, 1999.