Diffusing nueromodulators

I proposed this project in a succesful National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program application. The idea was to include diffusing long-distance neuromodulators in realistic simulation of some brain area of interest--probably in the limbic system--in contrast to the more usual synaptic-only communication which is assumed in Hodgkin-Huxley-like models.

In the following video, we simulate a set of ten neurons embedded in a 2D physical space, and reciprocally connected in a chain. A steady 16 μA/cm² current is supplied to the central neuron, but coupling is allowed to be weak enough that the other neurons fire more slowly. Whenever a neuron's membrane potential is above an arbitrary threshold of 0 V, it secretes a diffusive species into intercellular medium. However, no particular diffusing species has yet been chosen.