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Phase-locking in electrically coupled networks of cortical neurons
Mathematical Biology| Speaker: | Tim Lewis, Math, UCD |
| Location: | 2112 MSB |
| Start time: | Mon, May 21 2007, 4:10PM |
Electrical coupling between inhibitory interneurons appears to be ubiquitous in the brain. Because inhibitory interneurons are thought to play a fundamental role in generating cortical oscillations, phase-locking dynamics of electrically coupled interneurons has received considerable interest. In this talk, I will discuss collaborative work with the experimental lab Dr. Barry Connors at Brown University (Mancilla et al. 2007) in which we examine phase- locking in both real and model pairs of electrically cortical interneurons. By using the theory of weakly coupled oscillators and phase-response curves (PRC), we identify some of the intrinsic properties of neurons that determine the stability of phase-locked states and describe the underlying dynamical mechanisms.