Spike and burst coding in thalamocortical relay cells
Fig 13
In a ‘standard’ high-conductance state [28] (blue traces), the membrane potential fluctuates around a depolarized value (E). The neuron responds to excitatory input with single spikes (A), because the T-type calcium current is inactivated (C). Inhibitory input that is synchronized with (arrives just before) the excitatory input (F) can deinactivate the T-type calcium current, so that it is activated upon the arrival of excitatory input (B and D). In a ‘inhibitory’ high-conductance state (red traces) the membrane potential is not depolarized (E). Due to this lack of depolarization, the inactivation is removed from T-type calcium current and the T-current can activate for excitatory input only (C).