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Temporal structure of bursting patterns as representation of input history

Single neurons exhibit complex dynamical repertoires, where interacting dynamics on many different time scales enable history-dependent forms of computation [1]. We investigate these phenomena in a biophysically realistic conductance-based model (similar to the one presented in [2]) of a bursting neuron from a crustacean Central Pattern Generator. The analysis is focused on the temporal structure of the bursting phase, describing how temporal patterns of spikes within bursts convey information about the previous history of stimulation to the cell. An electrophysiological mechanism for these behaviors is proposed, inferred from the geometrical structure of the system's phase space. We discuss the relevance of the phenomenon for homeostatic self-regulation of rhythmic activity in Central Pattern Generators, and as a possible communication mechanism between the CPG and higher centers in the nervous system. We are considering several experimental protocols to validate our theoretical work.

References

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by Brazilian agencies Fapesp and CAPES, CNPq, and Spanish grants MEC PHB2007-0013TA, BFU2006-07902/BFI, TIN 2007-65989 and CAM S-SEM-0255-2006.

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Correspondence to Bóris Marin.

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Open Access This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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Marin, B., Baroni, F., Varona, P. et al. Temporal structure of bursting patterns as representation of input history. BMC Neurosci 10 (Suppl 1), P101 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-10-S1-P101

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-10-S1-P101

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