![]() "It was clear that a newer model including more data was needed." Testing a new modelįortunately, De Schutter's unit had just finished developing an updated model, an immense task primarily undertaken by now former postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Although the models were good at mimicking spikes, they lacked data about how the neurons acted in the intervals between spikes," De Schutter said. "The existing models could not replicate this behavior and therefore could not explain why this happened. But, when the firing rate is high, the impact of input spikes grows and makes the Purkinje cell fire earlier. Interestingly, when a Purkinje cell fires slowly, spikes from connected cells have little effect on the neuron's spiking. These spikes can perturb neighboring neurons through synaptic connections and alter their firing pattern," explained De Schutter. "Neurons are connected and entangled with many other neurons that are also transmitting electrical signals. ![]() The stronger the input to a neuron, the quicker that neuron fires.īut neurons don't fire in an independent manner. Spikes, or action potentials, follow an "all or nothing" principle-either they occur, or they don't-but the size of the electrical signal never changes, only the frequency. The rate at which a neuron fires electrical signals is one of the most crucial means of transmitting information to other neurons. Image modified from "How neurons communicate: Figure 2," by OpenStax College, Biology (CC BY 4.0)
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