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Gap Junctions, Neural Population Models and

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Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience

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Definition

Gap junctions, also known as electrical synapses, provide a means of direct, diffusive neuron-to-neuron communication; this information flow is completely separate from action potential-mediated signaling via chemical synapses. Gap junctions are connexin protein structures that connect the interiors of adjoining cells allowing free flow of transmembrane current. Gap junctions are found in most animal tissues and are widely expressed throughout the mammalian brain, most commonly at the points of contact between dendrites of inhibitory interneurons and between glial astrocytes (Bennett and Zukin 2004). Gap junctions between pairs of excitatory pyramidal cells are rare.

Gap junctions can be modeled as simple Ohmic-resistive connections between neighboring neurons. To date, almost all modeling studies have investigated the bulk effects of resistive coupling among cortical neurons by assembling large networks of discrete spiking neurons, and none of these have considered how...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand

    Prof. Moira Steyn-Ross & Prof. Alistair Steyn-Ross

  2. Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, Waikato, New Zealand

    Prof. Jamie Sleigh

Authors
  1. Prof. Moira Steyn-Ross
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  2. Prof. Alistair Steyn-Ross
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  3. Prof. Jamie Sleigh
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Correspondence to Moira Steyn-Ross .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Atlanta, Georgia, USA

    Dieter Jaeger

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA

    Ranu Jung

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Steyn-Ross, M., Steyn-Ross, A., Sleigh, J. (2014). Gap Junctions, Neural Population Models and. In: Jaeger, D., Jung, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Computational Neuroscience. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_62-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_62-2

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7320-6

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Gap Junctions, Neural Population Models and
    Published:
    11 September 2014

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_62-2

  2. Original

    Gap Junctions, Neural Population Models and
    Published:
    31 May 2014

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7320-6_62-1

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