The Single Neuron

Abstract

The discussion of neuronal function is further developed by extending the point neuron model to incorporate the extensive branching of the dendritic tree. Work over the past two decades has led, first, to a two-compartment dendritic model that distinguishes between apical and basal dendritic domains in pyramidal neurons and, second, to modeling of dendritic branches as independent information processors in their own right. The role of back-propagating action potentials in integrating processing in the two compartments is examined, as are the roles of the NMDA receptor, calcium ion influx, and supralinear summation in the creation of local NMDA spikes in distal dendritic branches. Finally, the involvement of NMDA spikes in the development of “cluster sensitivity” and “cluster plasticity” is reviewed.