Spontaneous action potentials due to channel fluctuations.
A theoretical and numerical analysis of the Hodgkin-Huxley equations with the inclusion of stochastic channel dynamics is presented. It is shown that the system can be approximated by a one-dimensional bistable Langevin equation. Spontaneous action potentials can arise from the channel fluctuations and are analogous to escape by a particle over a potential barrier. The mean firing rate can be calculated using Kramers' classic result for barrier escape. The probability density function of the interspike intervals can also be estimated. The analytical results compare favorably with numerical simulations of the complete stochastic system.
Chow
C C
CC
NeuroMuscular Research Center, Boston University, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
White
J A
JA
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D049832:Decapodiformes; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008954:Models, Biological; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013269:Stochastic Processes
D007473:Ion Channels