Biological neuron model




A biological neuron model (also known as spiking neuron model) is a mathematical description of the properties of certain cells in the nervous system that generate sharp electrical potentials, roughly one millisecond in duration, as shown in Fig. 1. The amplitude and the exact shape of the action potential can vary according to the exact experimental technique used for acquiring the signal. It is worth noting that not all the cells that are classified as neurons by morphological or cell staining criteria actually produce the type of spikes that define the scope of the spiking neuron models. For example, cochlear hair cells, retinal receptor cells, and retinal bipolar cells do not spike. Furthermore, many cells in the nervous system are not classified as neurons by either criteria but instead are classified as glia.