Energy efficient modulation of dendritic processing functions.

The voltage dependent ionic conductances and the passive properties of the neural membrane determine how external inputs are processed by the dendritic tree, and define the computational characteristics of neurons. However, what controls these characteristics and how they are implemented at the single neuron level, in such a way that an external input results in the coding of the appropriate output, is essentially unknown. We show here that a slow inactivation of the Na+ channel, involved in the attenuation and/or failure of APs in the dendrites, acts as an active and energy efficient filter of synaptic input, and results in an activity-dependent control of the properties of individual neurons. Thus, the activation or expression of this mechanisms could be an efficient way to selectively modulate the input/output processing properties of dendrites, and could be needed to limit or suppress the onset of a number of pathological brain disorders.