Introduction

y Hodgkin-Huxley model is a model that tries to

simulate the biological nerve cell. y What is a model?

y Mathematical representation. y Logical description of a system.

Three phases
1. Biological Side. 2. Electrical Side (derived from 1). 3. Mathematical side.

Biological Side - intro

y Nerve Cells Environment. y Nerve cell structure. y Axon Structure y Electricity flow.

Nerve Cells Environment

y Neuron receives action potentials in the dendrites and sums it all. y If the sum is higher than a certain threshold, an action potential is

created and passed through the axon to the presynaptic membrane.

Biological Side Nerve cell structure

Biological Side Axon structure

y Axon include the following elements:
y Myelin. y Membrane. y Nodes of Ranvier. y Sodium and Potassium. y Sodium Channels. y Potassium Channels. y Pump.

Axon structure cont

y Inside the axon

lots of potassium K+ y Outside the axon lots of Sodium Na+ y In addition A-

Rest potential
y Three channels keep the rest potential. y Sodium Channels (Na+) inward, increase the voltage. y Potassium Channels (K+) outward, decrease the voltage. y Pumps Take out Na+, Insert K+ - keeps the voltage steady.

Action Potential
Open Na+ channels
+70mV

Open K+ channels

0mV

Hyper polarization
-70mV

Back to Rest

Electric Side

Final Equation of Conductance of Sodium

y The m and h gates are used to calculate the

conductance of the sodium channels for sodium ions under depolarization y The equation for conductance of sodium is given by:

gNa =GNa m3h

Final equation for conductance of Potassium channels

y The potassium channels are slower and do not have a

inactivation variable defined. y The activaition variable n has a degree 4. y The equation is given by: gK = GK n4