Discharge Patterns of Neurons under Sinusoidal Current Stimulation

Objective To find out the discharge patterns of neurons stimulated by sinusoidal currents with different gradient and time course. Method Discharge of neurons was investigated by simulation method basing on the classical H H model. The stimulus is sinusoidal current with different frequencies and amplitudes. Result Bursting can be induced by sinusoidal current stimulation in a wide range of frequency. In particular, long time course bursting can be induced by sinusoidal current with an ultralow frequency. Conclusion Long time course bursting can be induced by current stimulation with very small gradient, which is a complementarity to the traditional accommodation of neurons. At the same time, it suggests that slow EPSP/EPSC with enough intensity is not only a modulation to synaptic efficacy but is also one of the reasons of neurons , supernormal excitability. It might be the electrophysiological mechanism of some diseases or neuropathic function disorders, such as epilepsy.