Abstract
We used a biophysical model to probe the basic integrative properties of primate pallidal neurons in order to obtain a better understanding of Basal Ganglia physiology. The first results we present here deal mainly with the way dendritic morphology influences these properties. Neuronal morphology has been quantitatatively analyzed in 3D. Single fast excitatory synaptic inputs resulting in AMPA receptors activations have been simulated, without regenerative voltage dependent conductances. Dendrites of both pallidal segments (GPi and GPe) showed a strong dependence of the synaptic efficacy upon distance from soma, but even the most distal dendritic synaptic sites were able to substantially depolarize the cell body. The mean synaptic efficacy was the same in both populations, but the attenuation of propagated post-synaptic potentials was higher in GPi neurons. All these features were very dependent on the dendritic diameters which appear to constitute a key parameter in these neuronal populations both with respect to the integration of afferent information and to the differences between cells in performing this task.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Bernander, Ö.,C. Koch and R.J. Douglas (1994).Amplification and linearization of distal synaptic input to cortical pyramidal cells.Journal of Neurophysiology 72:2 743–2753.
François, C.,G. Percheron, J. Yelnik and S. Heyner (1984).A Golgi analysis of the Primate Globus Pallidus I.Inconstant processes of large neurons,other neuronal types,and afferent axons.Journal of Comparative Neurology 227: 182–199.
Hines, M.(1984).Efficient computation of branched nerve equations.International Journal of Biomedical Computing 15:69–76.
Holmes, W.R.(1989).The role of dendritic diameters in maximizing the effectiveness of synaptic inputs.Brain Research 478: 127–137.
Jaffe, D.B.and N.T. Carnevale (1999).Passive normalization of synaptic integration influenced by dendritic architecture.Journal of Neurophysiology 82:3 268–3285.
Nakanishi, H.,H. Kita H.and S.T. Kitai (1990).Intracellular study of rat entopeduncular nucleus neurons in an in vitro silice preparation:electrical membrane properties.Brain Research 527:81–88.
Segev, I.,J. Rinzel and G.M. Sheperd (1995).The theoretical foundation of dendritic function. MIT Press, Cambridge.
Spruston, N., G. Stuart and M. Haüsser (2001).Dendritic integration.In:Stuart,G.,N. Spruston and M. Haüsser.Dendrites.Oxford University Press, 231–270.
Williams, S.R.and G.J. Stuart (2002).Dependence of EPSP efficacy on synapse location in neocortical pyramidal neurons.Science 295:1 907–1910.
Yelnik, J.,G. Percheron and C. François (1984).A Golgi analysis of the primate globus pallidus.II.Quantitative morphology and spatial orientation of dendritic arborizations. Journal of Comparative Neurology 227: 200–213.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mouchet, P., Yelnik, J. A Biophysical Model of Neuronal Dendrites' Integrative Properties: Relations to Morphological Data. Acta Biotheor 52, 313–322 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ACBI.0000046600.90619.17
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:ACBI.0000046600.90619.17