How Brain 'Noise' Helps Neurons Fire in Bursts

Why does a neuron firing inside a living brain behave so differently from one isolated in a lab dish? Researchers investigating the electrosensory cells of the electric fish, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, have provided a compelling answer using advanced computational modelling.

By combining direct intracellular recordings with a new, biophysically detailed model, they have shown that burst firing—a vital method for encoding sensory information—is not a solo act. Instead, it emerges from a synergistic interaction between the neuron’s intrinsic properties, like calcium channels, and the continuous, stochastic (or random) synaptic bombardment from its neighbours.

This virtual neuron successfully reproduced the complex firing patterns seen in the living fish, including the characteristic timing between bursts. The model demonstrates that the noisy, complex environment of the brain is not just background interference; it is a fundamental partner in shaping the language of our neurons, providing key insights into how neural coding works in the real world.