Simulate computational models of astrocyte-neuron interaction

Abstract

Recent studies have shed light on the bidirectional communication between astrocytes and neurons for the brain's normal functioning. This bidirectional communication is thought to be occurring through the Calcium-dependent release of gliotransmitters. Anup and Nadkarni (1) have described a detailed biophysical model that can quantitatively describe this gliotransmitter release by a single astrocyte process in response to a wide range of synaptic activity. This project aims to reproduce the results of the work done by Anup and Nadkarni by implementing the model using python. Since this is a learning project, the report was divided into two modules (for ease of reporting). The first module simulates the classic Hodgkin-Huxley model of neuronal spiking, followed by the Li-Rinzel model for calcium dynamics in neurons and its stochastic modelling in the 2nd module.