Ion Concentration Dynamics as a Mechanism for Neuronal Bursting

TL;DR

This paper introduces a conductance-based neuron model incorporating ion concentration dynamics, demonstrating how these slow variables modulate fast spiking to produce various bursting patterns similar to biological neurons.

Contribution

It presents a novel model that links ion concentration dynamics with neuronal bursting, highlighting their potential role in modulating excitability.

Findings

Ion concentration dynamics can generate periodic bursting in neurons.

Different bursting profiles are identified and linked to ion concentration oscillations.

The model's bursting patterns resemble those observed experimentally.

Abstract

We describe a simple conductance-based model neuron that includes intra- and extra-cellular ion concentration dynamics and show that this model exhibits periodic bursting. The bursting arises as the fast spiking behavior of the neuron is modulated by the slow oscillatory behavior in the ion concentration variables, and vice versa. By separating these time scales and studying the bifurcation structure of the neuron, we catalog several qualitatively different bursting profiles that are strikingly similar to those seen in experimental preparations. Our work suggests that ion concentration dynamics may play an important role in modulating neuronal excitability in real biological systems.