Inhibitor neurons have two types of impact on brain oscillations

The study of the brain involves measuring the activity of billions of brain cells called neurons. As a result, many brain measurement techniques produce data whose average is reflected by the activity of large populations of these neurons. If all the neurons behave differently, the average will be average. But when the behavior of individual neurons is synchronized, clearly visible oscillations occur.

Synchronization is important for understanding the behavior of neurons, which is especially important for brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease. Today, a group of researchers from the Institute of Computational Physics and Complex Systems of Lanzhou University, China, used a combination of two computer models to study the impact different types of neurons on synchronization. The study is published in European Physical Journal B.

To study the effects on synchronization, the authors examined neurons called inhibitory neurons, which act to slow down or stop the activity of other neurons. In addition, they explored the probability that these inhibitory neurons trigger spontaneously or not at all in the network.

With the help of computer models, the researchers then built a network of Izhikevich neurons; they also used a neuronal transmission model, called Tsodyks-Uziel-Markram model (TUM).

Their results indicate that inhibitory neurons can have a double impact on oscillatory models. On the one hand, they can delay the onset of neurons, which prevents synchronization from occurring. On the other hand, they can facilitate the transition of oscillatory patterns, which promotes synchronization.

Research is important to improve our understanding of brain diseases, such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. "The ever-increasing morbidity of brain diseases makes the investigation of this subject significant, both in psychology and in medicine," explain the authors.