Two computational regimes of a single-compartment neuron separated by a planar boundary in conductance space

TL;DR

This paper reveals that Hodgkin-Huxley neurons can operate in two distinct computational regimes separated by a boundary in conductance space, with implications for understanding how biophysical parameters influence neural computation.

Contribution

The study identifies a planar boundary in conductance space that separates two computational regimes in Hodgkin-Huxley neurons, linking biophysical parameters to neural function.

Findings

Hodgkin-Huxley neurons exhibit two computational regimes: sensitivity to input variance and insensitivity.

A boundary plane in conductance space separates these regimes.

The boundary can be derived analytically from the V nullcline in a reduced model.

Abstract

Recent in vitro data show that neurons respond to input variance with varying sensitivities. Here, we demonstrate that Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) neurons can operate in two computational regimes, one that is more sensitive to input variance (differentiating) and one that is less sensitive (integrating). A boundary plane in the 3D conductance space separates these two regimes. For a reduced HH model, this plane can be derived analytically from the V nullcline, thus suggesting a means of relating biophysical parameters to neural computation by analyzing the neuron's dynamical system.