Abnormal brain state distribution and network connectivity in a rat model.

Mutations in the gene are one of the common predictors of neurodevelopmental disorders, commonly resulting in individuals developing autism, intellectual disability, epilepsy, and sleep deficits. EEG recordings in neurodevelopmental disorders show potential to identify clinically translatable biomarkers to both diagnose and track the progress of novel therapeutic strategies, as well as providing insight into underlying pathological mechanisms. In a rat model of haploinsufficiency in which the exons encoding the calcium/lipid binding and GTPase-activating protein domains have been deleted ( ), we analysed the duration and occurrence of wake, non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement brain states during 6 h multi-electrode EEG recordings.

The spiking and secretory activity of oxytocin neurones in response to osmotic stimulation: a computational model.

Key Points: A quantitative model of oxytocin neurones that combines a spiking model, a model of stimulus-secretion coupling and a model of plasma clearance of oxytocin was tested. To test the model, a variety of sources of published data were used that relate either the electrical activity of oxytocin cells or the secretion of oxytocin to experimentally induced changes in plasma osmotic pressure. To use these data to test the model, the experimental challenges involved were computationally simulated.

A Predictive, Quantitative Model of Spiking Activity and Stimulus-Secretion Coupling in Oxytocin Neurons.

Oxytocin neurons of the rat hypothalamus project to the posterior pituitary, where they secrete their products into the bloodstream. The pattern and quantity of that release depends on the afferent inputs to the neurons, on their intrinsic membrane properties, and on nonlinear interactions between spiking activity and exocytosis: A given number of spikes will trigger more secretion when they arrive close together. Here we present a quantitative computational model of oxytocin neurons that can replicate the results of a wide variety of published experiments.