Neuron simulation environment

Domain of Utility NEURON is a “domain-specific” simulator in the sense that, by design, it has features that make it particularly well suited for constructing and simulating certain kinds of models. It emerged from a collaboration between John Moore and Michael Hines at Duke University. Their initial aim was to develop software for models used to complement experimental research on spike initiation and conduction in squid axon (Hines 1992, 1994). NEURON’s domain of utility subsequently broadened in response to requests and contributions from other neuroscientists who began to adopt their software and apply it to a much wider range of problems (see http://neuron.yale.edu/neuron/ credits). At the center of this domain are anatomically detailed models of biological neurons with detailed anatomical structure and complex membrane properties, and networks of such neurons. It has also been used to implement and simulate models as diverse as the following: networks of artificial spiking cells (Lytton and Omurtag (2007), ModelDB accession number 105507); hybrid nets that combine artificial spiking cells and mechanistic models of biological neurons (Yu et al. (2013), ModelDB accession number 144570); cardiac muscle cells (Courtemanche et al. (1998), ModelDB accession number 3800); and networks of arteriolar smooth muscle (Crane et al. (2001), ModelDB accession number 3785). For a more complete perspective on the range of models that have been