An open-source computational neuroscience virtual laboratory tool for simulating spiking neurons and circuits

Neuronal models and real-time simulations of large-scale neural networks allow hypothesis testing of physiological data and for predicting neurological disorders. Simulators using web technologies serve as educational tools in addition to allowing experimentalists make predictions on experimental hypotheses. In this paper, we have developed a web-based neuron and network simulator to model spatio-temporal computations in animal nervous systems. Neuronal models including Hodgkin-Huxley (HH), Adaptive Exponential (AdEx) integrate and fire model and Izhikevich model were incorporated. All models were implemented using JavaScript and python with visualization using HTML5. Single neuron responses and a small-scale network dynamics corresponding to experimentally-known stimuli patterns were simulated. The simulator allows configuring neuronal dynamics through the GUI and can also allow modeling complex dynamics by interfacing with BRIAN for more large-scale and complex simulations. This web technology-based simulation environment may be used by neurophysiologists to simulate experimental protocols and modeling simple circuit dynamics with or without backend programming.