Exploring action potential initiation in neurons exposed to DC electric fields through dynamical analysis of conductance-based model

• A two-dimensional neuron model exposed to DC electric field is presented.
• Dynamic behaviors of Hodgkin’s three classes of neurons to electric field are studied.
• Spike initiating dynamics are investigated with phase plane and bifurcation analysis.
• Different neuronal responses to electric field are shown to derive from distinct spike initiating dynamics.

Noninvasive direct current (DC) electric stimulation of central nervous system is today a promising therapeutic option to alleviate the symptoms of a number of neurological disorders. Despite widespread use of this noninvasive brain modulation technique, a generalizable explanation of its biophysical basis has not been described which seriously restricts its application and development. This paper investigated the dynamical behaviors of Hodgkin’s three classes of neurons exposed to DC electric field based on a conductance-based neuron model. With phase plane and bifurcation analysis, the different responses of each class of neuron to the same stimulation are shown to derive from distinct spike initiating dynamics. Under the effects of negative DC electric field, class 1 neuron generates repetitive spike through a saddle-node on invariant circle (SNIC) bifurcation, while it ceases this repetitive behavior through a Hopf bifurcation; Class 2 neuron generates repetitive spike through a Hopf bifurcation, meanwhile it ceases this repetitive behavior also by a Hopf bifurcation; Class 3 neuron can generate single spike through a quasi-separatrix-crossing (QSC) at first, then it generates repetitive spike through a Hopf bifurcation, while it ceases this repetitive behavior through a SNIC bifurcation. Furthermore, three classes of neurons’ spiking frequency f–electric field E (f–E) curves all have parabolic shape. Our results highlight the effects of external DC electric field on neuronal activity from the biophysical modeling point of view. It can contribute to the application and development of noninvasive DC brain modulation technique.