Action potential backpropagation in a model thalamocortical relay cell

Abstract Thalamocortical (TC) cells relay most sensory information to the neocortex. Sensory and cortical afferents are segregated in TC cells, and the way these inputs are integrated is important to understanding the role of TC cells in sensory processing. Experimental results indicate that backpropagating action potentials effect synaptic integration. We investigate backpropagation in a previously described multi-compartment model of a TC cell, and compare simulation results with experimental results. The model does not replicate the results well, and we suggest changes that improve these results but affect the firing modes of the model. This has repercussions for models of thalamocortical signalling.

[1]  Alain Destexhe,et al.  The initiation of bursts in thalamic neurons and the cortical control of thalamic sensitivity. , 2002, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences.

[2]  M. Häusser,et al.  Propagation of action potentials in dendrites depends on dendritic morphology. , 2001, Journal of neurophysiology.

[3]  G. Stuart,et al.  Action Potential Backpropagation and Somato-dendritic Distribution of Ion Channels in Thalamocortical Neurons , 2000, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[4]  D. McCormick,et al.  A model of the electrophysiological properties of thalamocortical relay neurons. , 1992, Journal of neurophysiology.

[5]  S. Sherman,et al.  Relative distribution of synapses in the A‐laminae of the lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat , 2000, The Journal of comparative neurology.

[6]  E. G. Jones,et al.  Distribution of four types of synapse on physiologically identified relay neurons in the ventral posterior thalamic nucleus of the cat , 1995, The Journal of comparative neurology.

[7]  S. Sherman,et al.  Dendritic current flow in relay cells and interneurons of the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus. , 1989, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[8]  M. Steriade,et al.  Thalamic bursting mechanism: an inward slow current revealed by membrane hyperpolarization , 1982, Brain Research.

[9]  W. Rall.  Branching dendritic trees and motoneuron membrane resistivity. , 1959, Experimental neurology.

[10]  R. Guillery,et al.  Exploring the Thalamus , 2000 .

[11]  D. McCormick,et al.  Simulation of the currents involved in rhythmic oscillations in thalamic relay neurons. , 1992, Journal of neurophysiology.

[12]  M. Häusser,et al.  Differential shunting of EPSPs by action potentials. , 2001, Science.

[13]  B. Connors,et al.  Short-term dynamics of thalamocortical and intracortical synapses onto layer 6 neurons in neocortex. , 2002, Journal of neurophysiology.

[14]  R. Guillery,et al.  Paying attention to the thalamic reticular nucleus , 1998, Trends in Neurosciences.

[15]  A. Destexhe,et al.  Dendritic Low-Threshold Calcium Currents in Thalamic Relay Cells , 1998, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[16]  S Murray Sherman,et al.  Detectability of Excitatory versus Inhibitory Drive in an Integrate-and-Fire-or-Burst Thalamocortical Relay Neuron Model , 2002, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[17]  Stephen R. Williams,et al.  Morphology and membrane properties of neurones in the cat ventrobasal thalamus in Vitro , 1997, The Journal of physiology.

[18]  Nicholas T. Carnevale,et al.  The NEURON Simulation Environment , 1997, Neural Computation.

[19]  M. Pawlak,et al.  SCALING BEHAVIOR OF THE DENDRITIC BRANCHES OF THALAMIC NEURONS , 1993 .