Lognormal distribution of firing time and rate from a single neuron?

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a single neuron can produce lognormal firing time and rate distributions due to ion current noise, using a mathematical scheme from nanotechnology applied to the integrate-and-fire model.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mathematical approach from nanotechnology to analyze firing statistics in a neuron model with ion current noise.

Findings

Firing times and rates can follow a lognormal distribution due to ion current noise.

The mathematical scheme effectively models the stochastic firing behavior.

Single neuron firing variability can be explained by this noise-driven mechanism.

Abstract

Even a single neuron may be able to produce significant lognormal features in its firing statistics due to noise in the charging ion current. A mathematical scheme introduced in advanced nanotechnology is relevant for the analysis of this mechanism in the simplest case, the integrate-and-fire model with white noise in the charging ion current.