A quantitative evaluation of the magnetic field generated by a CA3 pyramidal cell at EPSP and action potential stages.

We evaluate quantitatively which behavioral stage dominantly generates magnetic field adjacent to a CA3 pyramidal cell by using a compartmental model with dendrites and an axon. Generally speaking, there are four stages in the potential behavior, i.e., excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potential, firing action potential, bursting action potential, if any, and after hyperpolarization potential stages. Calculated magnetic field also consists of corresponding four stages. We find, first, the dominant origin of the peaks of the magnetic field is counter propagating pulses at the firing and bursting stage at basal and apical dendrites. Second, the amplitude of the magnetic field changes to a great extent by the cancellation timing of the apical- and basal-originating fields depending on the calcium ionic channel spikes. Third, the field generated by the current flowing through the axon is significant enough when the temporal resolution of the measurement system becomes high. The results predict that the magnetic-field waveform measured in physiological experiments represents the dendritic configurations, channel density distributions, and bursting characteristics. These facts enable new investigations of neuronal activities in more detail through the observation of the magnetic-field waveform.