Logic operations are properties of computer-simulated interactions between excitable dendritic spines

doi:10.1016/0306-4522(87)90329-0

Neuroscience

Volume 21, Issue 1, April 1987, Pages 151-165

https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4522(87)90329-0 Get rights and content

Abstract

Neurons in the central nervous system of mammals and many other species receive most of their synaptic inputs in their dendritic branches and spines, but the precise manner in which this information is processed in the dendrites is not understood. In order to gain insight into these mechanisms, simulations of interactions between distal dendritic spines with an excitable membrane have been carried out, using an electrical circuit analysis program for the compartmental representation of a dendrite and several spines. Interactions between responses to single and paired excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs have been analyzed. Basic logic operations, including AND gates, OR gates and AND-NOT gates, arise from these interactions.

The results suggest the computational power and precision of excitable spines in distal branches of neuronal dendrites, especially those of pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex. The applicability to information processing in distal dendrites is discussed.

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Logic operations are properties of computer-simulated interactions between excitable dendritic spines

Abstract

Neuroscience

Trends Neurosci.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

Biophys. J.

Brain Res.

Computation of delay time sensitivities for use in time domain organization

IEEE Trans. Circuits Systems

Modeling the electrical behavior of anatomically complex neurons using a network analysis program: excitable membrane

Biol. Cybern.

Computer simulation of composite EPSPs based on the morphology of α-motoneurons and group Ia afferents

Soc. Neurosci. Abstr.

Cell biology of synaptic plasticity

Science

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IBM J. Res. Div.

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The behaviour of chromatolysed motoneurones studied by intracellular recording

J. Physiol., Lond.

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J. Neurocytol.

The synaptic current evoked in cat spinal motoneurones by impulses in single group Ia axons

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An intracellular analysis of dendrodendritic inhibition in the turtle in vitro olfactory bulb

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Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond B

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J. gen. Physiol.

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