Computational and experimental evaluation of the mechanism of infrared neural inhibition in aplysia (Conference Presentation)

Infrared neural inhibition (INI) is a relatively new modality of neural control which has potential as a novel pain therapy due to its high spatial specificity and selective inhibition of small diameter neurons at lower temperatures. Computational modeling using a modified Hodgkin-Huxley model in the squid giant axon has shown that temperature sensitive potassium currents mediate INI’s thermal block. This model was modified to reflect Aplysia parameters which have smaller unmyelinated axons on the order of mammalian C fibers, and simulated results were validated in vitro. Results support he hypothesis that potassium currents are needed to create a thermal block.