Bistability and State Transition in Membrane Potential of a Neuron: Their Functional Roles in Information Processing and Underlying Mechanisms

Abstract

Many studies reported that membrane potential of a neuron fluctuates between two stable states (depolarized ‘up’ state and hyperpolarized ‘down’ state). A neuron fires at the up state but rarely fires at the down state. Thus, the two states fluctuation is likely to influence information processing in the brain, because spike activity of a neuron conveys information in the brain. In this review, I will discuss possible functional roles and underlying mechanisms of the two states fluctuation.