A new approach to the determination of the stellate neuron activity function in rat’s brain

In this work, we present the results of a mathematical modelling of NO· release by neurons and its transport in the brain by diffusion. The model is applied to analyze the experimental data on NO· release from a neuron monitored during its patch-clamp stimulation by an ultramicroelectrode introduced into a slice of living rat’s brain. The neuron activity function was obtained by numerical deconvolution of the experimental data using the response function of the electrode to an instantaneous spike of neuronal activity. The Gaussian decomposition of NO· release activity function allows qualitative and quantitative conclusions to be drawn about neuron activity. Since the integral activity function is readily obtained by deconvolution, the decomposition can be performed using other more relevant descriptions of NO· bursts emerging from active neurons.