What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

When Python is the interpreter, what is a good
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cassiehu
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What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by cassiehu »

Hi, I want to ask a question about what is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()? I tried h.InhSyn(), but it appeared an error. Moreover, where can I read the source code of h.ExpSyn(). I know that the website is provided on the home of NEURON to look the source code. But I cannot find the exact position of h.ExpSyn().
Looking forward to your reply very much! (Hope my question not annoying)
cassiehu
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Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2022 10:41 am

Re: What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by cassiehu »

Hi, I found the source code of h.ExpSyn() from the e-mail sent by Ted Carnevale. If there are corresponding inhibitive synapse model, what should I write?
cassiehu
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Re: What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by cassiehu »

Hi, I also found the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function which is h.Exp2Syn() by searching in Github. But I still want to see the source code of them. I do not fully understand where is the on-line help file???
https://pic.imgdb.cn/item/63f32e91f144a01007717d38.png
ted
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Re: What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by ted »

what is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?
It's Python name is h.Expsyn. What determines whether a conductance-change synapse is excitatory or inhibitory is whether activating the synapse depolarizes or hyperpolarizes the model cell. And that is determined by the value of the synapse's reversal potential parameter.

If you're planning to do much computational modeling of biological neurons, it would be helpful to learn some neurophysiology.
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Re: What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by ted »

I also found the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function which is h.Exp2Syn() by searching in Github.
No you didn't. Exp2Syn is just another conductance change synaptic mechanism, with a parameter that specifies its reversal potential. And the value of that reversal potential determines whether or not any particular instance of the Exp2Syn class will be excitatory or inhibitory. Time to learn some neurophysiology.
I do not fully understand where is the on-line help file???
It's called the Programmer's Reference. https://neuron.yale.edu/neuron/ has a link that will take you to it. Or just go to https://nrn.readthedocs.io/ and click on the "NEURON Python documentation" item in the left column.
cassiehu
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Re: What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by cassiehu »

Thank you very much! I have found the source code of expsyn.mod by your instructions. My major is not neural science, and I found that it is trully important to study the fundamental knowledge. Thank you for your advice, again.
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Re: What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by ted »

I came to neuroscience from electrical engineering. The only thing I knew about cells and electricity was that some species of fish had specialized muscles that the fish could use to produce electric pulses as large as several hundred volts. That seemed very strange. How did I learn more? Most books on neuroscience focus on behavior, anatomy, pharmacology, molecular biology, or genetics. Few specialists in those disciplines know or care anything about electrical signaling in neurons, or how those signals interact with chemical signals, despite the fact that most of the minute-to-minute operation of the nervous system involves the generation, propagation, and interaction of electrical and chemical signals within and between neurons.

There's an old book by Bernard Katz called Nerve, Muscle and Synapse that is very short, very informative, and very readable. It focuses entirely on electrical phenomena and synaptic transmission. It's out of print, but you can sometimes find used copies at Amazon. Valerie Hedges wrote a beginner's book called "Introduction to Neuroscience" which is available at no charge--https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/1303. It covers a much wider range of topics; the first three chapters contain short but useful discussions about electrical signaling and synaptic transmission. My personal favorite book on cellular neurophysiology is Johnston and Wu's "Foundations of Cellular Neurophysiology," published by MIT Press. C. Hammond's "Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology" is also excellent, and includes much material about molecular phenomena (receptors, second messengers etc.) that isn't covered in J & W's book (but J & W cover much that isn't in Hammond's book).
cassiehu
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Re: What is the name of built-in inhibitive synapse function in NEURON corresponding with h.ExpSyn()?

Post by cassiehu »

OK! Thank you for your help again. My research is mainly based on extracting useful neural circuit to apply to controlling robot(which is totally different with modern control methods). And the most important work for it is to observe the electrical response of neurons to find an executable control mode and the whole network(like what you said that the electrical signalling can interact with their behaviors) But I found it is really difficult to link the output and electrical signalling together.(while some researchers have done it before) I hope I can find some answers in the books you recommended. Thanks again.
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