Focusing in Multiwell Potentials: Applications to Ion Channels

TL;DR

This paper studies how stochastic noise influences ion channel models, revealing a focusing effect where probability concentrates on a single state, which cannot be predicted by simple models.

Contribution

It demonstrates a non-trivial focusing effect in multi-well ion channel models induced by stochastic noise, highlighting limitations of simple master equations.

Findings

Stochastic noise causes probability focusing on one state.

Focusing occurs under physiological conditions.

Simple master equations fail to predict this effect.

Abstract

We investigate out of equilibrium stationary distributions induced by a stochastic dichotomous noise on double and multi-well models for ion channels. Ion-channel dynamics is analyzed both through over-damped Langevin equations and master equations. As a consequence of the external stochastic noise, we prove a non trivial focusing effect, namely the probability distribution is concentrated only on one state of the multi-well model. We also show that this focusing effect, which occurs at physiological conditions, cannot be predicted by a simple master equation approach.