Recovery of Cable Properties Through Active and Passive Modeling of Subthreshold Membrane Responses From Laterodorsal Tegmental Neurons

Recovery of Cable Properties Through Active and Passive Modeling of Subthreshold Membrane Responses From Laterodorsal Tegmental Neurons

Model Status

This model contains partial differentials and as such can not currently be solved by existing CellML tools.

Model Structure

The laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT) is located at the junction of the pons and the midbrain - regions of the brain. The neurons from this area are thought to play an essential role in the generation of the electroencephalographic (EEG)-desyncronised states of waking and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The neurons are heterogeneous, displaying different firing rates in waking, slow-wave (SW), and REM sleep. Different membrane properties, cell morphology and synaptic input signals are thought to underlie this firing heterogeneity.

In order to evaluate the relative importance of these factors, Surkis et al. analysed the cable properties of the principal LDT neurons. (the complete original paper reference is cited below). Data from these experiments were then used to produce a biologically realistic mathematical model of these cells. Their study involved developing two cell models, one in which the membrane was assumed to be passive, and one in which it was assumed that voltage-dependent conductances were contributing to cell behaviour. They found that only the active membrane model could adequately describe the behaviour of the LDT cells, and it is this model which is described below.

Recovery of Cable Properties Through Active and Passive Modeling of Subthreshold Membrane Responses From Laterodorsal Tegmental Neurons, A. Surkis, C.S. Peskin, D. Tranchina, and C.S. Leonard, 1998, Journal of Neurophysiology , 80, 2593-2607. (Full text and PDF versions of the article are available for Journal Members on the Journal of Neurophysiology website.) PubMed ID: 9819266

Schematic diagram of the voltage-dependent conductances across the plasma membrane of a LDT neuron. IA represents a transient subthreshold K+ current. IH is a cation current that has a depolarising influence and it is activated on hyperpolarisation of the cell.