Mathematical modeling of the electromechanic processes that underlie the vibrissal system mechanotransduction: A study over the passive perception of tactile information

ALBARRACÍN, ANA LIA; FARFÁN, FERNANDO; PIZÁ, GABRIEL; LUCIANNA, FACUNDO; SOLETTA, JORGE; RUIZ, GABRIEL; FELICE, CARMELO JOSÉ

Mar del Plata

Congreso; XXX Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias; 2015

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias

In the present study we are proposing a mathematical model able to predict the afferentdischarges of the afferent vibrissal nerve. Vibrissal passive stimulation has been used as themodel signal input. The mechanisms of mechanotransduction within follicle-sinus complexwere implemented by using the model of Lottem and Azouz (2011), which uses the rigidbody model principle and predict neuronal responses evocated by unidirectional passivestimulation. In this work we have modelling the vibrissal system considering the changes inthe neuronal responses due to the directional sensibility. The simulations obtained havebeen validated with experimental recording of the afferent activity of the vibrissal nerveevocated by vibrissae passive stimulation in different directions. To fit the experimentaldata to the modeling results, we implemented a simplified model for electrophysiologicalactivity in a bundle of myelinated nerve fibers. Finally, the result demonstrated that it ispossible to predict the afferent nerve discharges in passive conditions by using the modelproposed.