Neural currents vs ion currents

Research Neuroscience
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Continuing the discussion from Neural impulses: SpringerLink - Journal Article:

I believe that simulating neural currents (interneuron) in PCT should not be that different from simulating ion currents (intraneuron) within some neuron.
The references I use most are Dynamical Systems in Neuroscience (Izhikevich, 2007) and Molecular and Cellular Biophysics (Jackson, 2006), in which sufficient information could be available to model the different ion currents, their activation functions and voltage-dependent time constants.

Izhikevich mentions that the action potential is indeed the result of positive feedback of the sodium current followed by (controlled within) a negative feedback loop involving the other ion currents.

Of course, the neuron’s environment is other neurons. I firmly suspect that there is significant correlation between the intra- and interneuron mechanisms in producing behaviour at cellular or organismic level. I mean, if one can model the one, a lot of those aspects will be reusable in the other.

For example, the activation function’s sigmoid form (sometimes called “standard logistic output function”) for ion conductance through the membrane, is a basic element in the continuous time recurrent neural network (CTRNN) model (1999, Chiel, Evolution and Analysis of Model CPGs for Walking). The CTRNN’s are useful for simulating central pattern generators (CPG), which is a fundamental part of all nervous systems, and for sure will be necessary to model oscillating (periodic) reference signals from higher layers.

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@Paul

I didn’t see your post until now. I think ion currents may be (a big may be) part of the intrinsic system which guides our behavioural control system. So yes, if we can model the intra- and interneuron mechanisms, we may be able to uncover how the intrinsic system works in PCT.

Maybe you are interested to have a look at this article in which a heart-brain interneuron model is simulated using PID control principle. I feel like if someone can model interneuron mechanisms using a PID control principle, a PCT model can be developed. It may also be easier to develop a intraneuron model after you have a interneurn model.