Simulation of cross-correlograms resulting from synaptic connections between neurons.
A cross-correlation simulation program is presented. It is intended for use as a rapid initial screening test, to discriminate between possible connection configurations that may underlie observed cross-correlations. It can also serve to introduce students to the event cross-correlation technique. The simulation employs a simple model of two neurons with noisy membranes that may excite or inhibit one another or receive a common input from a third neuron. The model differs from its predecessors in that the user specifies the neurons and their interconnections by the resulting membrane potential trajectories, rather than discharge statistics. Illustrations of some simple performance characteristics are given, as well as examples of cross-correlograms resulting from more complex interactions between neurons. The latter demonstrate the usefulness of the simulation in the interpretation of cross-correlograms obtained from experimental data. The simulation is a LabVIEW (National Instruments) program executable under the Windows operating system (Microsoft) and is available for downloading from website www.utoronto.ca/respgrp/sim.htm.
Departments of Physiology and Anaesthesia, University of Toronto, Ont., M5S 1A8, Toronto, Canada. j.duffin@utoronto.ca
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D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology*