Dynamic analysis of Hodgkin’s three classes of neurons exposed to extremely low-frequency sinusoidal induced electric field

Abstract

To explore how extremely low frequency induced electric field (EF) interacts with neuronal activity, we introduce a sinusoidal induced EF into a two-dimensional neuron model and investigate the dynamic behaviors of Hodgkin’s three classes of neurons with different EF parameters, i.e., amplitude and frequency. It is observed that three classes of neurons can exhibit bursting, synchronous spiking and subthreshold oscillation when exposed to ELF induced EF. By analyzing neuronal spiking frequency and average firing rate, it is found that class 1 and 2 neurons could generate bursting with p:1 (p>1) phase-locking in the low EF frequency area when EF amplitude is above the stimulus spiking threshold, whereas class 3 neuron is not so sensitive to induced EF stimulus in this area unless the EF amplitude is much higher. With the increase of EF frequency, three classes of neurons all exhibit synchronous spiking with 1:1 phase-locking. When EF frequency further increases, the spiking frequency for three classes will drop to zero and neurons cease spiking. Our study suggests that the induced EF parameters can determine and be quantified by neuronal spiking patterns. It can contribute to reveal how EF stimulus is encoded by different neurons, which may aid the interpretation of the effects of electromagnetic fields on brain neurons.