https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2013-02047-2
Regular Article
Phase description of the Huber-Braun neuron model for mammalian cold receptors
1 Theoretical Physics/Complex Systems Research Group, ICBM, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
2 Research Center Neurosensory Science, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
3 Institute of Physiology, Deutschhausstrasse 1-2, Philipps-University, 35037 Marburg, Germany
4 Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2431, USA
a e-mail: jan.freund@uni-oldenburg.de
Received: 16 July 2013
Revised: 13 August 2013
Published online: 28 October 2013
The spiking activity of mammalian cold receptors is described by the Huber-Braun neuron model. Sweeping temperature as a control parameter across a biologically relevant range this model exhibits a complex bifurcation structure seen in the sequence of interspike intervals. The model's distinctive feature is the interaction between a fast spike generating dynamics and a slow subthreshold oscillation. Viewing the spike generation as a cycle, the dynamics may also be modeled phenomenologically by two phases, one for the spike cycle and the second for the slow subthreshold oscillation. In fact, a phase model of temperature-dependent mammalian cold receptors was already proposed by Roper et al. (2000). Here we follow their approach and investigate to what extent this model is able to reproduce the bifurcation patterns of the Huber-Braun model. Special attention is paid to the tonic firing to bursting transition observed in the low temperature range.
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag, 2013
