A Computational Study of Cholinergic Depression on the Persistent Inward Currents

Persistent inward currents (PICs) play important roles in regulating neural excitability. Results from our previous studies showed that serotonergic (5-HT) neurons of the brainstem expressed PICs. However, little is known about cholinergic (ACh) modulation of PICs in the 5-HT neurons. The 5-HT neuron was simulated in the present paper to investigate the ionic mechanism of the cholinergic depression on the PICs. PICs in 5-HT neurons of the brainstem and this depression was mediated by changing the conductance and the gating property of the Ca-PIC and the Na-PIC.