Dendritic cable with active spines: A modelling study in the spike-diffuse-spike framework

The spike-diffuse-spike (SDS) model describes a passive dendritic tree with active dendritic spines. Spine-head dynamics is modelled with a simple integrate-and-fire process, whilst communication between spines is mediated by the cable equation. Here we develop a computational framework that allows the study of multiple spiking events in a network of such spines embedded in a simple one-dimensional cable. This system is shown to support saltatory waves as a result of the discrete distribution of spines. Moreover, we demonstrate one of the ways to incorporate noise into the spine-head whilst retaining computational tractability of the model. The SDS model sustains a variety of propagating patterns. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.