A phase model of temperature-dependent mammalian cold receptors

We present a tractable stochastic phase model of the temperature sensitivit y of a mammalian cold receptor. Using simple linear dependencies of the amp litude, frequency, and bias on temperature, the model reproduces the experi mentally observed transitions between bursting, beating, and stochastically phase-locked firing patterns. We analyze the model in the deterministic li mit and predict, using a Strutt map, the number of spikes per burst for a g iven temperature. The inclusion of noise produces a variable number of spik es per burst and also extends the dynamic range of the neuron, both of whic h are analyzed in terms of the Strutt map. Our analysis can be readily appl ied to other receptors that display various bursting patterns following tem perature changes.