Simulations of motor unit discharge patterns (Powers et al. 2011)

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Accession:143671
" ... To estimate the potential contributions of PIC (Persistent Inward Current) activation and synaptic input patterns to motor unit discharge patterns, we examined the responses of a set of cable motoneuron models to different patterns of excitatory and inhibitory inputs. The models were first tuned to approximate the current- and voltage-clamp responses of low- and medium-threshold spinal motoneurons studied in decerebrate cats and then driven with different patterns of excitatory and inhibitory inputs. The responses of the models to excitatory inputs reproduced a number of features of human motor unit discharge. However, the pattern of rate modulation was strongly influenced by the temporal and spatial pattern of concurrent inhibitory inputs. Thus, even though PIC activation is likely to exert a strong influence on firing rate modulation, PIC activation in combination with different patterns of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs can produce a wide variety of motor unit discharge patterns."
Reference:
1 . Powers RK, Elbasiouny SM, Rymer WZ, Heckman CJ (2012) Contribution of intrinsic properties and synaptic inputs to motoneuron discharge patterns: a simulation study. J Neurophysiol 107:808-23 [PubMed]
Model Information (Click on a link to find other models with that property)
Model Type: Neuron or other electrically excitable cell;
Brain Region(s)/Organism:
Cell Type(s): Spinal cord lumbar motor neuron alpha ACh cell;
Channel(s):
Gap Junctions:
Receptor(s):
Gene(s):
Transmitter(s):
Simulation Environment: NEURON;
Model Concept(s): Activity Patterns; Bursting; Action Potentials;
Implementer(s): Powers, Randy [rkpowers at u.washington.edu];
Search NeuronDB for information about:  Spinal cord lumbar motor neuron alpha ACh cell;
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PowersEtAl2012
code
Gfluctdv.mod *
ghchan.mod *
kca2.mod *
kdrRL.mod *
L_Ca.mod *
mAHP.mod *
na3rp.mod *
naps.mod *
synss.mod
ana_FI.hoc
ana_G.hoc
ana_passive.hoc
ana_vc.hoc
ana_vc_synss.hoc
AP_AHP.ses
FIgraph.hoc
FRcablepas.hoc
FRmnrampcc.ses
FRmnrampvc_synss.ses
FRMotoneuronNaHH.hoc
gramp.ses
GUI_FR_analysis.hoc
inhibdist
makebiramp.hoc *
passive.ses
RecActive.hoc
re-init.hoc
SetConductances.hoc
test.hoc
twobirampsdel.hoc *
vramp
vrampdel
vrampdel.hoc
                            
/*************************************************************************
 * FILE ana_passive.hoc
 *
 * This file generates current pulses to measure passive properties of cell
 **************************************************************************/

// set up per init_FRvar61B.hoc

objref vecP, vecB, ff, IclP
strdef fn


/**************************************
 * PROC ana_passive() begin
 *
 * called with model file for argument
 *************************************/
proc ana_passive() {
    
    if (DEBUG) {printf("entered ana_passive, arg=%s\n", $s1)}
    if (numarg() < 1) {
	print "ana_passive(): call with FR cell for argument"
	return
    }
    
    fn = $s1
    
    if (! xopen(fn)) {
	printf("ana_passive(): Fail to open requested cell file %s\n", fn)
	return
    }
    
/*
    sprint(myfile, "%s/passive.ses", codeloc)
    if (! xopen(myfile)) {
	printf("ana_passive(): Fail to open requested cell file %s\n", myfile)
	return
    }
  */  
    vecP = new Vector()
    vecB = new Vector()
    IclP = new IClamp(0.5)
    ff = new File()
    
    access soma
    IclP.del = 300
    IclP.dur = 200
    IclP.amp = 0
    tstop = 600
    
    // Make a baseline trace and subtract it from the pulse trace, and
    // save the difference beginning at the start of the current step.
    // The generated filename will incorporate the calculated Rin.
    // Use excel to extract time constants
    getRin(fn, -0.1)	// curent step -0.1 nA
    
    printf("Input resistance Rin = %.3f\n", Rin)
    printf("Voltage response to current pulse is saved in file %s\n", fn)
    printf("Determine time constants using Excel\n")
    
}
/************************
 * PROC ana_passive() end
 ************************/
 
/***************************************************************************
 * PROC baseline()
 *
 * generates a long baseline trace with no current pulse: amp=0
 * The raw trace is saved as baseline.dat. The compressed trace is saved as bas.dat
 ***************************************************************************/

proc baseline() {
    
    vecB = new Vector()
    vecB.record(&v(0.5))
    
    printf("Now running baseline, tstop=%d\n", tstop)
    IclP.amp=0
    init()
    run()
}
/**********************************
 * end baseline()
 **********************************/
 
/*************************************************************************
 * PROC Istep()
 *
 * Istep() generates a trace with specified current step amplitude.
 * Data is recorded in vectore vecP
 *************************************************************************/

proc Istep () {
    objref vecP, veccmprs
    vecP = new Vector()
    vecP.record(&v(0.5))
    IclP.amp = $1
    sprint(fn, "Istep")
    printf("Now running Istep=%.2f, tstop=%d\n", IclP.amp, tstop)
    
    init()
    run()
    printf("Collected %d values for current step %.5\n", vecP.size, IclP.amp)
    printf("Duration %d\n", IclP.dur)
}
/********************
 * end Istep()
 ********************/

/********************************************************************
 * PROC capture_pulse()
 *
 * TWO arguments: msec long to record and filename for extract to save
 * This routine begins recording with the IClamp pulse, at IclP.del
 ********************************************************************/

proc capture_pulse() {local i
    if ($1 > IclP.dur) {
	printf("duration %d is greater than IClamp dur %d\n", $1, IclP.dur)
    }
    
    first = 40*IclP.del // dt=25 mu-sec, convert from msec 
    last = $1 * 40 + first // pass in length in msec
    
    fn = $s2
    if (IclP.amp != 0) {
	Rin = abs((vecP.x[last]-vecP.x[first])/IclP.amp)
	sprint(fn,"%s%s%.3f.dat",fn,"_Rin-", Rin)
    }
    
    objref ff
    ff = new File(fn)
    fo = ff.wopen()
    if (!fo) {
	printf ("capture_pulse(): fail to open file %s\n", fn)
	return
    }
    
    ff.printf("label:%s\n", fn)
    ff.printf("%d\n", last-first+1)
    
    for i=first, last {
	ff.printf("%.3f\t%g\n", i/40-IclP.del, vecP.x[i])
    }
    ff.close()
}

objref vecD
vecD=new Vector()
strdef mystr, mystr2
// TWO args: string for start of filename and current for step.
// collect baseline data, then collect step data, then save file with
// subset of difference data beginning at start of step.
proc getRin() {local i
    objref vecD
    vecD=new Vector()
    mystr = $s1
    myamp=$2
    baseline()
    basV = vecB.x[40*IclP.del]	// baseline V, just before step
    printf("basV=%d\n", basV)
    
    // save vecB in vecD, it will be overwritten during Istep()
    for i=0, vecB.size-1 {
	vecD.append(vecB.x[i])
    }
    
    Istep($2)
    sprint(fn, "V=%4.1f%s_+%0.1f", basV, mystr, $2)
    //    for i=0,vecP.size-1 {
    //	vecP.append(vecP.x[i]-vecB.x[i])
    //   }
    
    for i=0,vecD.size-1 {
	vecP.x[i] = basV+ vecP.x[i] - vecD.x[i]
    }

    capture_pulse(200, fn)
}

proc Iseries() {local i
    IClamp[0].dur = tstop
    I=5
    for (i=0; i<=50; i=i+5) {
	I=I-5
	IClamp[0].amp = I
	sprint(mystr2, "shft=%d", I)
	getRin(mystr2, 0.1)
	getRin(mystr2, -0.1)
    }
}

proc clr_gh() {
    soma.ghbar_gh = 0
    dendrite.ghbar_gh=0
}


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