Propagation effects of current and conductance noise in a model neuron with subthreshold oscillations

We have examined the effects of current and conductance noise in a single-neuron model which can generate a variety of physiologically important impulse patterns. Current noise enters the membrane equation directly while conductance noise is propagated through the activation variables. Additive Gaussian white noise which is implemented as conductance noise appears in the voltage equations as an additive and a multiplicative term. Moreover, the originally white noise is turned into colored noise. The noise correlation time is a function of the system's control parameters which may explain the different effects of current and conductance noise in different dynamic states. We have found the most significant, qualitative differences between different noise implementations in a pacemaker-like, tonic firing regime at the transition to chaotic burst discharges. This reflects a dynamic state of high physiological relevance. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.