Long-lasting Stimuli Research Articles

Running from Stress: Neurobiological Mechanisms of Exercise-Induced Stress Resilience.

Chronic stress, even stress of a moderate intensity related to daily life, is widely acknowledged to be a predisposing or precipitating factor in neuropsychiatric diseases. There is a clear relationship between disturbances induced by stressful stimuli, especially long-lasting stimuli, and cognitive deficits in rodent models of affective disorders. Regular physical activity has a positive effect on the central nervous system (CNS) functions, contributes to an improvement in mood and of cognitive abilities (including memory and learning), and is correlated with an increase in the expression of the neurotrophic factors and markers of synaptic plasticity as well as a reduction in the inflammatory factors. Studies published so far show that the energy challenge caused by physical exercise can affect the CNS by improving cellular bioenergetics, stimulating the processes responsible for the removal of damaged organelles and molecules, and attenuating inflammation processes. Regular physical activity brings another important benefit: increased stress robustness. The evidence from animal studies is that a sedentary lifestyle is associated with stress vulnerability, whereas a physically active lifestyle is associated with stress resilience. Here, we have performed a comprehensive PubMed Search Strategy for accomplishing an exhaustive literature review. In this review, we discuss the findings from experimental studies on the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying the impact of exercise on brain resilience. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective potential of preconditioning exercise and of the role of exercise in stress resilience, among other things, may open further options for prevention and therapy in the treatment of CNS diseases.

Auditory adaptation time course in the Yangtze finless porpoises, Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis

ABSTRACT Auditory adaptation manifests as temporary change in the hearing sensitivity under influence of sound stimuli, and little attention has been paid to hearing adaptation in cetaceans. In a Yangtze finless porpoise Neophocaena asiaeorientalis (Cetacea, Phocoenidae), effects of long-lasting sound stimuli (pip trains) on auditory evoked potentials (AEP) were investigated. The stimuli were rhythmic tone pips of either 90 or 128 kHz frequency. Stimulus levels varied from 80 to 120 dB re 1 μPa. During stimulation, the stimulus level was either kept constant the stimulus level changed up and down by 20 or 40 dB every 1000 ms. A stimulus level increase produced quick response amplitude increase with subsequent slower exponential decay; the exponent time constant was 59.2 ± 9.7 ms. A stimulus level decrease produced quick response amplitude suppression with subsequent exponent recovery; the exponent time constant was 153.9 ± 15.9 ms. The response variations were assessed as manifestations of adaptation processes. The finless porpoise is capable of quickly adjusting its sensitivity to the current auditory scene. This flexibility allows for quick sensitivity recovery after exposure to loud noises and is important for the effective use of auditory orientation. Abbreviations: RFR: rate-following response; AEP: auditory evoked potentials; A/D: analogue-to-digital (A/D); ERD: equivalent rectangular duration

Functional Specialization of ON and OFF Cortical Pathways for Global-Slow and Local-Fast Vision

Visual information is processed in the cortex by ON and OFF pathways that respond to light and dark stimuli. Responses to darks are stronger, faster, and driven by a larger number of cortical neurons than responses to lights. Here, we demonstrate that these light-dark cortical asymmetries reflect a functional specialization of ON and OFF pathways for different stimulus properties. We show that large long-lasting stimuli drive stronger cortical responses when they are light, whereas small fast stimuli drive stronger cortical responses when they are dark. Moreover, we show that these light-dark asymmetries are preserved under a wide variety of luminance conditions that range from photopic to low mesopic light. Our results suggest that ON and OFF pathways extract different spatiotemporal information from visual scenes, making OFF local-fast signals better suited to maximize visual acuity and ON global-slow signals better suited to guide the eye movements needed for retinal image stabilization.

No temporal contrast enhancement of simple decreases in noxious heat.

Offset analgesia (OA) studies have found that small decreases in the intensity of a tonic noxious heat stimulus yield a disproportionately large amount of pain relief. In the classic OA paradigm, the decrease in stimulus intensity is preceded by an increase of equal size from an initial noxious level. Although the majority of researchers believe this temporal sequence of two changes is important for eliciting OA, it has also been suggested that the temporal contrast mechanism underlying OA may enhance detection of simple, isolated decreases in noxious heat. To test whether decreases in noxious heat intensity, by themselves, are perceived better than increases of comparable sizes, we used an adaptive two-interval alternative forced choice task to find perceptual thresholds for increases and decreases in radiant and contact heat. Decreases in noxious heat were more difficult to perceive than increases of comparable sizes from the same initial temperature of 45°C. In contrast, decreases and increases were perceived equally well within a common range of noxious temperatures (i.e., when increases started from 45°C and decreases started from 47°C). In another task, participants rated the pain intensity of heat stimuli that randomly and unpredictably increased, decreased, or remained constant. Ratings of unpredictable stimulus decreases also showed no evidence of perceptual enhancement. Our results demonstrate that there is no temporal contrast enhancement of simple, isolated decreases in noxious heat intensity. Combined with previous OA findings, they suggest that long-lasting noxious stimuli that follow an increase-decrease pattern may be important for eliciting the OA effect.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Previous research suggested that a small decrease in noxious heat intensity feels surprisingly large because of sensory enhancement of noxious stimulus offsets (a simplified form of “offset analgesia”). Using a two-alternative forced choice task where participants detected simple increases or decreases in noxious heat, we showed that decreases in noxious heat, by themselves, are no better perceived than increases of comparable sizes. This suggests that a decrease alone is not sufficient to elicit offset analgesia.

A statistical method for analyzing and comparing spatiotemporal cortical activation patterns

Information in the cortex is encoded in spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal activity, but the exact nature of that code still remains elusive. While onset responses to simple stimuli are associated with specific loci in cortical sensory maps, it is completely unclear how the information about a sustained stimulus is encoded that is perceived for minutes or even longer, when discharge rates have decayed back to spontaneous levels. Using a newly developed statistical approach (multidimensional cluster statistics (MCS)) that allows for a comparison of clusters of data points in n-dimensional space, we here demonstrate that the information about long-lasting stimuli is encoded in the ongoing spatiotemporal activity patterns in sensory cortex. We successfully apply MCS to multichannel local field potential recordings in different rodent models and sensory modalities, as well as to human MEG and EEG data, demonstrating its universal applicability. MCS thus indicates novel ways for the development of powerful read-out algorithms of spatiotemporal brain activity that may be implemented in innovative brain-computer interfaces (BCI).

The primary somatosensory cortex and the insula contribute differently to the processing of transient and sustained nociceptive and non-nociceptive somatosensory inputs.

Transient nociceptive stimuli elicit consistent brain responses in the primary and secondary somatosensory cortices (S1, S2), the insula and the anterior and mid-cingulate cortex (ACC/MCC). However, the functional significance of these responses, especially their relationship with sustained pain perception, remains largely unknown. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we characterize the differential involvement of these brain regions in the processing of sustained nociceptive and non-nociceptive somatosensory input. By comparing the spatial patterns of activity elicited by transient (0.5 ms) and long-lasting (15 and 30 s) stimuli selectively activating nociceptive or non-nociceptive afferents, we found that the contralateral S1 responded more strongly to the onset of non-nociceptive stimulation as compared to the onset of nociceptive stimulation and the sustained phases of nociceptive and non-nociceptive stimulation. Similarly, the anterior insula responded more strongly to the onset of nociceptive stimulation as compared to the onset of non-nociceptive stimulation and the sustained phases of nociceptive and non-nociceptive stimulation. This suggests that S1 is specifically sensitive to changes in incoming non-nociceptive input, whereas the anterior insula is specifically sensitive to changes in incoming nociceptive input. Second, we found that the MCC responded more strongly to the onsets as compared to the sustained phases of both nociceptive and non-nociceptive stimulation, suggesting that it could be involved in the detection of change regardless of sensory modality. Finally, the posterior insula and S2 responded maximally during the sustained phase of non-nociceptive stimulation but not nociceptive stimulation, suggesting that these regions are preferentially involved in processing non-nociceptive somatosensory input.

Mechanisms defining the electrotonic potential abnormalities in simulated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Electrotonic potentials allow the accommodative processes to polarizing stimuli to be assessed. Electrotonic potential transients in response to applied polarizing stimuli are caused by the kinetics of underlying axonal conductances. Here, we study these transients using our multi-layered model of the human motor nerve, in three simulated cases of the motor neuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): ALS1, ALS2 and ALS3 are three consecutively greater degrees of uniform axonal dysfunctions along the human motor nerve fibre. The results show that the responses in the ALS1 case are quite similar to the normal case. In contrast, in the ALS2 and ALS3 cases, long-lasting (100 ms) subthreshold depolarizing stimuli activate the classical "transient" Na(+) channels in the nodal and in the internodal axolemma beneath the myelin sheath; this leads to action potential generation during the early parts of the electrotonic responses in all compartments along the fibre length. The results also show that the electrotonic potentials in response to long-lasting (100 ms) subthreshold hyperpolarizing stimuli in the ALS1 and ALS2 cases are quiet similar to those of the normal case. However, the current kinetics in the ALS3 case differs from the normal case after the termination of the long-lasting hyperpolarizing stimuli. In the most abnormal ALS3 case, the activation of the Na(+) channels in the nodal and in the internodal axolemma leads to repetitive action potential generation in the late parts (100-200 ms) of the hyperpolarizing electrotonic responses. The results show that the repetitive firing, due to the progressively increased nodal and internodal ion channel dysfunction, are consistent with the loss of functional potassium channels involving both the fast and the slow potassium channel types. The results confirm that the electrotonic potentials in the three simulated ALS cases are specific indicators for the motor neuron disease ALS. The mechanisms underlying the simulated ALS are also discussed.

A systematic literature review of 10 years of research on sex/gender and experimental pain perception – Part 1: Are there really differences between women and men?

The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize and critically appraise the results of 10years of human laboratory research on pain and sex/gender. An electronic search strategy was designed by a medical librarian and conducted in multiple databases. A total of 172 articles published between 1998 and 2008 were retrieved, analyzed, and synthesized. The first set of results (122 articles), which is presented in this paper, examined sex difference in the perception of laboratory-induced thermal, pressure, ischemic, muscle, electrical, chemical, and visceral pain in healthy subjects. This review suggests that females (F) and males (M) have comparable thresholds for cold and ischemic pain, while pressure pain thresholds are lower in F than M. There is strong evidence that F tolerate less thermal (heat, cold) and pressure pain than M but it is not the case for tolerance to ischemic pain, which is comparable in both sexes. The majority of the studies that measured pain intensity and unpleasantness showed no sex difference in many pain modalities. In summary, 10years of laboratory research have not been successful in producing a clear and consistent pattern of sex differences in human pain sensitivity, even with the use of deep, tonic, long-lasting stimuli, which are known to better mimic clinical pain. Whether laboratory studies in healthy subjects are the best paradigm to investigate sex differences in pain perception is open to question and should be discussed with a view to enhancing the clinical relevance of these experiments and developing new research avenues.

Firing control of ink gland motor cells in Aplysia californica

The release of ink in Aplysia californica occurs selectivelyto long-lasting stimuli. There is a good correspondence betweenfeatures of the behavior and the firing pattern of the ink gland motorneurons. Indeed, the neurons do not fire for brief inputs and thereis a delayed firing for long duration inputs. The biophysical mechanisms for the longdelay before firing is due to a transient potassium current whichactivates rapidly but inactivates more slowly. Based onvoltage-clamp experiments, a nine-variable Hodgkin-Huxley-like model for the inkgland motor neurons was developed by Byrne. Here, fast-slow analysis andtwo-parameter dynamical analysis are used to investigate thecontribution of different currents and to predict various firingpatterns, including the long latency before firing.

Nonconscious emotional processing of pictures and videos involve distinct neural pathways

Event Abstract Back to Event Nonconscious emotional processing of pictures and videos involve distinct neural pathways Nathan Faivre1* and Sid Kouider1 1 CNRS, France Humans permanently adapt their behavior to facial expressions they encounter in their social environment. Using static stimuli (i.e., pictures), it has been shown that this adaptive phenomenon resists even when the facial expressions are undisriminable and thus processed without awareness. While the ecological superiority of dynamic emotional stimuli (i.e., movies) is now well documented, whether this applies to nonconscious cognition has remained uncovered. To probe the capacity of the visual system to process dynamic stimuli without awareness, we relied on visual crowding, the perceptual phenomenon whereby long-lasting stimuli situated in the periphery of the visual field among similar neighbors are impossible to discriminate. Using a behavioral priming paradigm, we found that participants exposed to crowded faces rated the pleasantness of a subsequent neutral target accordingly to the facial expressions' valence (happy vs. neutral). Using fMRI, we found that while static expressions activated the amygdala and the ventral visual pathway (notably the fusiform face area), dynamic expressions triggered the substantia innominata and the dorsal visual pathway (notably the posterior parietal cortex and supramarginal cortex). Furthermore, both static and dynamic facial expressions activated the hippocampus and the orbitofrontal cortex, suggesting respectively that the nonconscious preference bias may arise from implicit stimulus-response associations, and from modulations of aesthetic preference computations. On the one hand, these results bring new insights regarding the fate of crowded information along the visual pathways. On the other hand, they open the possibility to probe nonconscious form and motion integration, and more generally nonconscious temporal integration. Keywords: Awareness, fMRI Conference: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI), Palma, Mallorca, Spain, 25 Sep - 29 Sep, 2011. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Poster Sessions: Consciousness and Awareness Citation: Faivre N and Kouider S (2011). Nonconscious emotional processing of pictures and videos involve distinct neural pathways. Conference Abstract: XI International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience (ICON XI). doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2011.207.00048 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 15 Nov 2011; Published Online: 25 Nov 2011. * Correspondence: Dr. Nathan Faivre, CNRS, Paris, France, nathanfaivre@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Nathan Faivre Sid Kouider Google Nathan Faivre Sid Kouider Google Scholar Nathan Faivre Sid Kouider PubMed Nathan Faivre Sid Kouider Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Comparative investigation of retinal responses to brief light stimuli: 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate studies—I. Frog retina, Rana ridibunda

1. Electroretinogram (ERG) and responses of single ganglion cells to 75 μsec light flashes, applied at two different backgrounds, were studied. Additionally, a stimulation with long-lasting stimuli (ordinarily 5 sec ON-, 5 sec OFF-) was used. Both white and coloured light stimuli were presented. 2. 150 μM 2-amino- 4-phosphonobutyrate (APB) was used to separate OFF- from ON- channels. 3. Before APB application, one or two components in the impulse activity in response to a flash were observed, depending on the type of ganglion cell (ON-, OFF- or ON-OFF). the latency of the first component was 60 msec and the latency of the second one was from 160 to 430 msec on average, at different background conditions. APB abolished the first component and enhanced the second one. 4. By means of APB, two components were shown to exist in the main positive wave of the flash ERG. APB abolished the first component and did not influence or enhance the second one. 5. The data obtained show that both ON- and OFF- channels take part in the generation of the frog retinal responses to brief stimuli.

Norepinephrine selectively reduces slow Ca2+- and Na+-mediated K+ currents in cat neocortical neurons.

1. The effects of norepinephrine (NE) and related agonists and antagonists were examined on large neurons from layer V of cat sensorimotor cortex ("Betz cells") were examined in a brain slice preparation using intracellular recording, constant current stimulation and single microelectrode voltage clamp. 2. Application of NE (0.1-100 microM) usually caused a small depolarization from resting potential; hyperpolarizations were rare. Application of NE reversibly reduced rheobase and both the Ca2+- and Na+-dependent portions of the slow afterhyperpolarization (sAHP) that followed sustained firing evoked by constant current injection. The faster Ca2+-dependent medium afterhyperpolarization (mAHP), the fast afterhyperpolarization (fAHP), the action potential, and input resistance were unaffected. 3. The changes in excitability produced by NE application were most apparent during prolonged stimulation. The cells exhibited steady repetitive firing to currents that were formerly ineffective. The slow phase of spike frequency adaptation was reduced selectively and less habituation occurred during repeated long-lasting stimuli. The relation between firing rate and injected current became steeper if firing rate was averaged over several hundred milliseconds. 4. During voltage clamp in TTX, NE application selectively reduced the slow component of Ca2+-mediated K+ current. The faster Ca2+-mediated K+ current was unaffected, as were two voltage-dependent, transient K+ currents, the anomalous rectifier and leakage conductance measured at resting potential. Depolarizing voltage steps in the presence of Cd2+ revealed an apparent time- and voltage-dependent increase of the persistent Na+ current after NE application. The voltage-clamp results suggested ionic mechanisms for all effects seen during constant current stimulation except the depolarization from resting potential. The latter was insensitive to Cd2+ and TTX and occurred without a detectable change in membrane conductance. 5. NE application did not alter Ca2+ spikes evoked in the presence of TTX and 10 mM TEA. Inward Ca2+ currents examined during voltage clamp in TTX (with K+ currents reduced) became slightly larger after NE application. We conclude that NEs reduction of the slow Ca2+-mediated K+ current is not caused by reduction of Ca2+ influx. 6. Effects on membrane potential, rheobase, and the sAHP were mimicked by the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol, but not by the alpha-adrenergic agonists clonidine or phenylephrine at higher concentrations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Synaptic connections in the dorsal cochlear nucleus of mice, in vitro.

1. Intracellular recordings were made from the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) in slices that contained the root of the auditory nerve and parts of the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei. Probably the largest and most common cells were impaled. 2. Weak shocks to the nerve usually evoked an excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) that lasted about 90 ms and whose latency was often less than 1.2 ms, indicating monosynaptic input. 3. Stronger shocks elicited a larger EPSP and a later train of inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs). Increasing the stimulus voltage shortened the latency of the train of IPSPs and increased its efficacy so that at large stimulus strengths inhibition dominated the synaptic response. 4. To determine whether any of the neuronal circuitry which generated the synaptic responses involved the ventral cochlear nucleus, recordings were made from slices containing only the dorsal nucleus. Synaptic responses to stimulation of the pial surface of the isolated DCN resembled those driven from the nerve root. That is, weak shocks evoked long-lasting, monosynaptic EPSPs and stronger stimuli elicited a larger EPSP followed by trains of IPSPs. The DCN, therefore, contains intrinsic inhibitory interneurones. 5. The parallel fibres of the DCN course superficially, near the stimulating electrodes, whereas the axons of the auditory nerve terminate in deeper areas. Thus, the monosynaptic EPSPs evoked from the pial surface are probably generated by parallel fibres. Apparently the inhibitory interneurones are also excited by a circuit including parallel fibres. 6. The putative neurotransmitter of parallel fibres, glutamate, excited all neurones tested. 7. Cells were sensitive both to glycine and to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Only strychnine, however, not picrotoxin or bicuculline, blocked IPSPs.

The effect of standing contrast and pattern adaptation on the human visually evoked potential

Human visually evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded with sinusoidal gratings of low (0.5 c/deg), medium (4 c/deg) and high (16 c/deg) spatial frequency (SF). Simultaneous recording from Oz-A1, O2-A1 and Oz-O2 allowed the separation of the early and late VEP waves for most subjects. The effect of standing contrast and pattern adaptation on these waves was studied. At low SF both early and late waves were not affected by standing contrast or adaptation with motionless grating, while adaptation with a drifting grating reduced them. At medium and high SFs both principal negative waves, N1 and N2, were reduced by standing contrast and pattern adaptation. The amplitude of N2 saturated at low contrast level (0.1) and was reduced after adaptation regardless of the SF of test and adapting stimuli, while the amplitude of N1 did not saturate up to the contrast level of 0.3 and exhibited SF-selective adaptation. The adapted onset-VEP was similar to the offset-VEP. The data suggest that: (1) the early wave is generated by multiple narrowly turned SF-selective structures that are medially positioned while the generators of the late wave are not SF-selective and occupy a wider area centered laterally; (2) the effects of standing contrast and pattern adaptation on VEPs, as well as the relationship of onset and offset VEPs, reflect the time-course of neural activity evoked by long-lasting stimuli.

Antinociceptive effects of neonatal capsaicin in rats with adjuvant arthritis

Rats were treated with capsaicin (50 mg/kg, SC) either on the second day or on the second and third days of life. A significant attenuation of the responses to noxious stimuli was obtained in the capsaicin treated animals as measured by the hot-plate or paw pressure tests but not by the tail-flick test. Furthermore, neonatal capsaicin produced a significant reduction of response in the formalin test. Capsaicin reduced the reaction latency in rats with adjuvant arthritis as measured by the hot-plate and paw pressure tests, though capsaicin did not alter the overall time course of the response to Freund's adjuvant. Capsaicin also attenuated the weight loss or the decreased ambulatory and rearing behaviours which occurred in the control animals with adjuvant arthritis. It is suggested that neonatal treatment with capsaicin may relieve the responsiveness to long-lasting nociceptive stimuli by adjuvant in rats.

Spatial and temporal summation in the human dark-adapted retina.

A coherent set of absolute-threshold data is presented for circular flashes with a diameter of 5-343 min of arc, a flash duration of 32-1000 msec, and at eccentricities between 7 and 50 deg in the temporal retina. A reduction in the flash interval from 4 to 1 sec causes a threshold elevation for eccentricities exceeding 15 deg for all other stimulus parameters. It is shown that local adaptation affects the measurements significantly, especially when long-lasting stimuli and large eccentricities exist. The results can be described with the help of a quanta-coincidence model if adaptational properties are included.

Analysis of ionic conductance mechanisms in motor cells mediating inking behavior in Aplysia californica.

1. The release of ink in response to a noxious stimulus is a relatively stereotyped behavior produced by strong and long-lasting stimuli. The purpose of this series of papers is to determine the quantitative extent to which the known voltage- and time-dependent ionic conductance mechanisms and synaptic influences can account for the ink gland motor neurons' firing pattern and, thus, the features of the behavior. 2. Four voltage- and time-dependent ionic currents have been analyzed. These include a fast transiet Na+-mediated inward current, a slower Ca2+-mediated inward current, a fast transient K+-mediated outward current, and a slower delayed outward current also mediated by K+ ions. 3. The current-voltage (I-V) relationships, equilibrium potentials, and steady-state activation and inactivation characteristics appear qualitatively similar to comparable currents observed in other gastropod neurons. 4. The recovery from inactivation of the delayed outward current has two time constants, one comparable to the inactivation time constant and the other more than an order of magnitude larger. The fast transient K+ current also appears to have a similar slow recovery from inactivation. 5. The synaptic current contributing to the firing pattern of the ink motor cells is a complex function of time. Initially, the synaptic conductance is high and the equilibrium potential near 0 mV. But, with time there is a gradual decrease in synaptic conductance and shift in the equilibrium potential to more depolarized levels.

Quantitative aspects of ionic conductance mechanisms contributing to firing pattern of motor cells mediating inking behavior in Aplysia californica.

1. The release of ink occurs selectively to long-lasting stimuli (18). There is a good correspondence between the features of the behavior and the firing pattern of the ink motor cells since the initial synaptic input is ineffective in firing the ink gland motor neurons. The features of the firing pattern of these cells have in turn been attributed to a fast K+ current that shunts the initial excitatory input and a late buildup of synaptic input. The purpose of the present paper is to examine these features quantitatively using a kinetic model of the ink gland motor neurons. 2. A modified Hodgkin-Huxley (13) model was developed, which includes seven membrane currents: a ) a fast inward Na+ current, 6) a slow inward Ca2+ current, c) a fast outward K+ current, d) a slow (delayed) outward K+ current, e) a synaptic current, f) a leakage current, and g) a capacitative current. The three ink gland motor neurons are electrically coupled to each other. The model also includes the features of this electronic coupling. 3. The Na+ current underlies the spike initiation, while the delayed K+ current accounts for spike repolarization. The fast transient K+ current also contributes to the repolarization process and slows the rate of rise of the membrane potential during the interspike interval. The slow Ca2+ current makes only a small contribution to the generation of the action potential, but contributes to the rise of the membrane potential during the interspike interval. 4. A depolarizing current pulse to one ink gland motor neuron yields an initial rapid depolarization followed by a slower component, which after a several-second period results in a burst of action potentials. The activation and inactivation sequence of a fast transient K+ current contributes to the cell’s selective response to long-lasting depolarizing current pulses. If the suprathreshold current pulse is preceded by a small subthreshold pulse, spikes are elicited immediately with the application of the suprathreshold pulse, since the subthreshold pulse inactivates the transient outward current. 5. The ink gland motor neurons also show a selective response to long-lasting trains of synaptic input. A train of synaptic input causes an initial large depolarization, but the initial synaptic input is ineffective in firing the cell. As a result, there is a severalsecond silent period or pause before an accelerating burst of spikes is produced. The fast transient K+ current shunts the initial synaptic input, preventing the cell from reaching spike threshold. Over a several-second period this current inactivates and the synaptic current is more effective in firing the cell. 6. While the fast outward current is inactivating, the synaptic current builds up and contributes to the accelerating burst of spikes.