Dynamics of Neurons Connected by Inhibitory Synapses and Electrical Coupling

Networks of inhibitory neurons are thought to play crucial roles in generating and coordinating electrical activity in the brain. For this reason, there has been much interest in trying to understand the mechanisms underlying the behavior that these networks display. Recent findings show that cells in many inhibitory networks are connected by both inhibitory and electrical coupling. However, it is unclear how these two modes of intercellular communication and the intrinsic properties of cells interact to determine the dynamics of the networks. In an attempt to construct a theoretical framework for networks with both electrical and chemical synapses, I formulate an integrate-and-fire model and use the theory of weakly coupled oscillators to examine the influence of coupling kinetics and intrinsic properties of the cells on dynamics of coupled cell pairs.