培养神经元网络自发放电序列的非线性特征

神经自发放电活动对于神经发育、神经系统基本功能及学习记忆等高级功能的维持具有重要意义. 为了研究神经自发放电序列的动力学特征, 我们利用多电极阵列系统长时间、连续记录了体外培养海马神经元网络的自发活动. 在发育过程中网络的放电模式复杂多变, 峰峰间隔序列中出现分岔现象. 为深入分析其非线性特征, 引入锋电位序列密度函数、非线性预测和替代数据等多种方法分析锋电位序列, 结果显示培养神经元网络的自发放电活动中存在混沌这一重要非线性现象. 该研究结果有助于认识神经系统的动力学特征, 进一步推动人们对神经编码机制的理解.

Nonlinear characteristics in the spontaneous activities of cultured neuronal networks

The spontaneous electrophysiology activities play an important role in neural development and normal functions of the brain, such as learning and memory. With multi-electrode array system, we have recorded the spontaneous firings of cultured hip-pocampal neuronal network for a long term. The firing patterns were complicated and changeable during development, and obvious bifurcation background was found in interspike interval time series. For further analysis of the nonlinear characteristics hiding in the spontaneous activities, spike train density function, nonlinear forecasting and surrogate data were applied to the spike trains. The results showed that nonlinear dynamics should exist in the spontaneous firing in vitro, which may have important implications for the study of neural encoding and neural control.