EVIDENCE FOR A NOVEL BURSTING MECHANISM IN RODENT TRIGEMINAL NEURONS

We investigated bursting behavior in rodent trigeminal neurons. The es sential mechanisms operating in the biological systems were determined based on testable predictions of mathematical models. Bursting activi ty in trigeminal motoneurons is consistent with a traditional mechanis m employing a region of negative slope resistance in the steady-state current-voltage relationship (Smith, T. G. 1975. Nature. 253:450-452). However, the bursting dynamics of trigeminal interneurons is inconsis tent with the traditional mechanisms, and is far more effectively expl ained by a new model of bursting that exploits the unique stability pr operties associated with spike threshold (Baer, S. M., T. Emeux, and J . Rinzel. 1989. SIAM J. Appl. Math. 49:55-71).