The Role of Activity-Dependent Network Depression in the Expression and Self-Regulation of Spontaneous Activity in the Developing Spinal Cord

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.21-22-08966.2001
• Publication Date: 2018-04-05T00:11:56Z
• Authors: Joël Tabak; John Rinzel; Michael J. O'Donovan
• Keywords: Premovement neuronal activity; Biological neural network

Spontaneous episodic activity occurs throughout the developing nervous system because immature circuits are hyperexcitable. It is not fully understood how temporal pattern of this regulated. Here, we study role activity-dependent depression network excitability in generation and regulation spontaneous embryonic chick spinal cord. We demonstrate that duration an episode depends on at beginning episode. found a positive correlation between preceding inter-episode interval, but with following suggesting onset stochastic whereas termination deterministically, when falls to fixed level. This true over wide range developmental stages under blockade glutamatergic or GABAergic/glycinergic synapses. also during remaining part becomes more excitable, compensating for loss synapses allowing recover. compensatory increase reflects progressive synaptic efficacy absence activity. Therefore, mechanism responsible nature automatically renders robust disruptions. The results presented using framework our computational model Specifically, show they follow logically from bistable slow switching periodically active inactive states.