title: Application of compiled BASIC in developing software for collection and analysis of neuronal firing frequency data.
abstract: Two programs are described which use an IBM-AT compatible personal computer, equipped with an analog-to-digital converter, to collect and analyze electrophysiological data. The first program is used to determine neuron firing rates during intracellular experiments and to save these results on disk. The second program is used to perform off-line analysis of the frequency data. Both programs are written entirely in the well known BASIC language and the Microsoft QuickBASIC compiler is employed for their use. All of the necessary hardware can be purchased commercially. In this paper emphasis is placed on the strategies and limitations involved when this high-level language is applied to tasks often needed in data acquisition and analysis. Both on- and off-line collection schemes are considered. This software is available from the authors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-2710.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Skeen
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Van Wie
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Barnes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003625:Data Collection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008195:Lymnaea; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D011381:Programming Languages; D012984:Software