This associate-team project proposes to deepen the links between two research groups, namely MathNeuro (Inria Sophia Antipolis) and MCEN (BCAM, Bilbao), on strong Neuroscience thematics. This project aims to start from a joint work in which we could successfully model synaptic transmission delays for both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, matching experimental data, and to supplant it in two distinct directions. On the one hand, by modeling the endocytosis so as to obtain a complete mathematical formulation of the presynaptic neurotransmitter cycle, which will then be integrated within diverse neuron models (in particular interneurons) hence allowing a refined analysis of their excitability and short-term plasticity properties. On the other hand, by modeling the postsynaptic neurotransmitter cycle in link with long-term plasticity and memory. We will incorporate these new models of synapse in different types of neuronal networks and we will then study their excitability, plasticity and synchronization properties in comparison with classical models.

After the first year, we have incorporated new directions of research and included external collaborators; see our meetings and publications pages. A recent account of the associate team is available on the Inria intranet here.