What do dendrites and their synapses tell the neuron?
This essay looks at the historical significance of four APS classic papers that are freely available online: Rall W. Distinguishing theoretical synaptic potentials computed for different soma-dendritic distributions of synaptic input. J Neurophysiol 30: 1138-1168, 1967 (http://jn.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/30/5/1138). Rall W, Burke RE, Smith TG, Nelson PG, and Frank K. Dendritic location of synapses and possible mechanisms for the monosynaptic EPSP in motoneurons. J Neurophysiol 30: 1169-1193, 1967 (http://jn.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/30/5/1169). Rall W and Shepherd GM. Theoretical reconstruction of field potentials and dendrodendritic synaptic interactions in olfactory bulb. J Neurophysiol 31: 884-915, 1968 (http://jn.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/31/6/884). Segev I and Rall W. Computational study of an excitable dendritic spine. J Neurophysiol 60: 499-523, 1988 (http://jn.physiology.org/cgi/reprint/60/2/499).
Interdisciplinary Center for Neural Computation, the Hebrew Univ., Edmond J. Safra Campus Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel. idan@lobster.ls.huji.ac.il
Idan
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D003712:Dendrites / Q000502:physiology*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009482:Neurophysiology / Q000266:history*