Development of a large scale and phyiologically detailed mathematical model of the brainstem and spinal cord neuronal networks

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This study aimed at constructing a large scale and physiologically detailed mathematical model of the brainstem-spinal cord neuronal network. We tried, as much as possible, to reconstruct three dimensional structure and electrophysiological characteristics of the neuronal network based on previous knowledges in the field of neuroanatomy and electrophysiology including the conductances of ion channels of neurons. The modeling was performed using hierarchical and distributed representations of the network elements (from the ion channels, the cells, the sypnapses) to the network. To this end, we used thoroughly object-orinted modeling methodology, by which we developed a software system that could systematize large scale modeling and simulation processes. Using this software system, we constructed a brainstem spinal neuronal network model consisting of 224 biophysically plausible neuron models which were spatially distributed and synoptically connected by excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the brain-stem spinalcord of cat. The spatio-temporal dynamic of the model were then simulated using PC cluster with 64-CPU. It was confirmed that the model showed bursting and oscillatory electrical activity. The bursting activity was alternating between left and right of the network as well as extensor and flexor interneurons within each of the left and right spinal segment, similar to the electrical activity of locomotor or respiratory neural networks.