An analytical model for the 'large, fluctuating synaptic conductance state' typical of neocortical neurons in vivo

Abstract

A model of in vivo-like neocortical activity is studied analytically in relation to experimental data and other models in order to understand the essential mechanisms underlying such activity. The model consists of a network of sparsely connected excitatory and inhibitory integrate-and-fire (IF) neurons with conductance-based synapses. It is shown that the model produces values for five quantities characterizing in vivo activity that are in agreement with both experimental ranges and a computer-simulated Hodgkin-Huxley model adapted from the literature (Destexhe et al. (2001) Neurosci. 107(1): 13-24). The analytical model builds on a study by Brunel (2000) (J. Comput. Neurosci. 8: 183-208), ..