title: The origin of extracellular fields and currents--EEG, ECoG, LFP and spikes.
abstract: Neuronal activity in the brain gives rise to transmembrane currents that can be measured in the extracellular medium. Although the major contributor of the extracellular signal is the synaptic transmembrane current, other sources--including Na(+) and Ca(2+) spikes, ionic fluxes through voltage- and ligand-gated channels, and intrinsic membrane oscillations--can substantially shape the extracellular field. High-density recordings of field activity in animals and subdural grid recordings in humans, combined with recently developed data processing tools and computational modelling, can provide insight into the cooperative behaviour of neurons, their average synaptic input and their spiking output, and can increase our understanding of how these processes contribute to the extracellular signal.
authors.affiliation: Center for Molecular and Behavioural Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 197 University Avenue, Newark, New Jersey 07102, USA. gyorgy.buzsaki@nyumc.org
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buzsáki
authors.forename: Costas A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Anastassiou
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology; D054351:Electrical Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D058446:Ligand-Gated Ion Channels; D015225:Magnetoencephalography; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D056969:Voltage-Sensitive Dye Imaging
chemical_list: D058446:Ligand-Gated Ion Channels