Modeling Inhibition in the MNTB – MS Research – Robert Heffern

Modeling Inhibition in the MNTB – MS Research

With Dr. Klug, I used patchclamping techniques to measure ionic currents of ex vivo neurons in the
auditory pathway (MNTB area). I analyzed data to discover that stimulation order has a significant effect
on cellular responses to stimulation.

Matrix of the histograms of spike amplitudes per run order. Neurons demonstrate two populations of spiking behavior, one Poisson and one Gaussian. Data correlates with anatomical results that show two populations of MNTB calyces.

Inhibitory Ceiling Modeling – Histogram of spike amplitudes (data)

Excitatory modeling equations

MNTB neurons under a microscope

Inhibitory Ceiling Modeling – Correlation coefficient of first runs (data)

Diagram of mammalian auditory system (courtesy of Dr. Achim Klug)