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Science 6 October 2006:
Vol. 314. no. 5796, pp. 80 - 85
DOI: 10.1126/science.1127240
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Review

Modeling Single-Neuron Dynamics and Computations: A Balance of Detail and Abstraction

Andreas V. M. Herz,1* Tim Gollisch,2 Christian K. Machens,3 Dieter Jaeger4

The fundamental building block of every nervous system is the single neuron. Understanding how these exquisitely structured elements operate is an integral part of the quest to solve the mysteries of the brain. Quantitative mathematical models have proved to be an indispensable tool in pursuing this goal. We review recent advances and examine how single-cell models on five levels of complexity, from black-box approaches to detailed compartmental simulations, address key questions about neural dynamics and signal processing.

1 Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin 10099, Germany.
2 Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
3 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
4 Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: a.herz{at}biologie.hu-berlin.de

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