Neuronal Dynamics of The Basal Ganglia and Related Systems

Terman0103822这位研究人员和他的同事开发了几何、动态系统工具，用于分析一大类神经网络的生物物理、基于电导的模型。这些系统出现在许多应用中，包括运动活动、感觉处理和学习。他们还开发了睡眠节律、癫痫和帕金森氏震颤的计算模型。研究人员还构建和完善了一个预测丘脑底核和苍白球外节电活动的数学和计算模型。这是基底节中的两个核团，基底节是大脑中参与运动活动的一部分。基底节功能障碍与运动障碍有关，如帕金森氏症和亨廷顿病。该模型用于测试关于基底节在正常和病理运动中所起作用的假说。大量实验表明，基底神经节内的神经元表现出丰富多样的动态行为；此外，神经元活动的空间和时间模式在正常状态和病理状态下是不同的。研究人员描述了模型中可能出现的神经元活动模式，并确定了这些模式如何随着网络参数和结构的调制而变化。一个长期的目标是开发一个足够现实的模型，以便它能够阐明负责产生和调节观察到的活动模式的关键参数和机制。一种用于分析神经元动态框架的数学理论阐明了模型的各个组成部分在产生特定的种群节律中所起的作用。这些成分可能对应于单个细胞的某些固有属性，也可能对应于某些网络属性，如突触耦合的强度和类型，或两个细胞相互通信的可能性。阐明不同活动模式背后的机制可能导致对从给定网络中出现的所有可能节奏的分类，并使我们能够确定为了显示某些观察到的行为，模型应该有多复杂。当模型中的参数变化时，它还有助于预测网络行为的转变。研究人员开发了神经动力学模型，特别是丘脑下核和苍白球外节的电活动模型。这是基底节的两个核团，是大脑中参与运动活动的一部分。基底节功能障碍与运动障碍有关，如帕金森氏病和亨廷顿病。该模型被用来检验关于基底节在正常和病理运动中的作用的假说。这样的模型可能有助于阐明基本的神经科学问题和有关大脑和中枢神经系统如何工作的临床问题。

Terman0103822 The investigator and his colleague develop geometric,dynamical systems tools for analyzing biophysical,conductance-based models for a broad class of neuronal networks.These systems arise in numerous applications including motoractivity, sensory processing and learning. They also developcomputational models for the generation of sleep rhythms,epilepsy and parkinsonian tremor. The investigators alsoconstruct and refine a mathematical and computational model forelectrical activity in the subthalamic nucleus and externalsegment of the globus pallidus. These are two nuclei in thebasal ganglia, a part of the brain involved in motor activity.Dysfunction of the basal ganglia is associated with movementdisorders such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.The model is used to test hypotheses on the role of the basalganglia in both normal and pathological movement. Numerousexperiments have demonstrated that neurons within the basalganglia display a rich variety of dynamic behavior; moreover,patterns of neuronal activity, both spatial and temporal, aredifferent between a normal and a pathological state. Theinvestigators characterize the possible patterns of neuronalactivity that arise in the model and determine how these patternschange with respect to modulations of network parameters andstructure. A long term goal is to develop a model realisticenough so that it can shed light upon the key parameters andmechanisms responsible for the generation and modulation ofobserved activity patterns. A mathematical theory for the analysis of neuronal dynamicshelps illuminate the role played by various components of a modelin generating a particular population rhythm. These componentsmay correspond to some intrinsic property of individual cells, orto some network property such as the strength and type ofsynaptic coupling or the probability that two cells communicatewith each other. Clarification of the mechanisms underlyingdifferent activity patterns may lead to a classification of allpossible rhythms that can emerge from a given network, and enableus to determine how complicated a model should be in order todisplay some observed behavior. It also helps predicttransitions of the network behavior as parameters in the modelare varied. The investigators develop models for neuronaldynamics, and in particular of electrical activity in thesubthalamic nucleus and external segment of the globus pallidus.These are two nuclei in the basal ganglia, a part of the braininvolved in motor activity. Dysfunction of the basal ganglia isassociated with movement disorders such as Parkinson's diseaseand Huntington's disease. The model is used to test hypotheseson the role of the basal ganglia in both normal and pathologicalmovement. Such models may help illuminate both fundamentalneuroscience questions and clinical issues about how the brainand central nervous system work.