NetPyNE, a tool for data-driven multiscale modeling of brain circuits
Abstract
Biophysical modeling of neuronal networks helps to integrate and interpret rapidly growing and disparate experimental datasets at multiple scales. The NetPyNE tool (www.netpyne.org) provides both programmatic and graphical interfaces to develop data-driven multiscale network models in NEURON. NetPyNE clearly separates model parameters from implementation code. Users provide specifications at a high level via a standardized declarative language, e.g. connectivity rules, to create millions of cell-to-cell connections. NetPyNE then enables users to generate the NEURON network, run efficiently parallelized simulations, optimize and explore network parameters through automated batch runs, and use built-in functions for visualization and analysis - connectivity matrices, voltage traces, spike raster plots, local field potentials, and information theoretic measures. NetPyNE also facilitates model sharing by exporting and importing standardized formats (NeuroML and SONATA). NetPyNE is already being used to teach computational neuroscience students and by modelers to investigate brain regions and phenomena.
Data availability
All data and models used in this work are publicly available from the following GitHub and ModelDB links:- Fig 3: https://github.com/Neurosim-lab/netpyne/tree/paper/examples/paper/fig3- Fig 5: https://github.com/Neurosim-lab/netpyne/tree/paper/examples/paper/fig5- Fig 6: https://github.com/Neurosim-lab/netpyne/tree/paper/examples/paper/fig6- Fig 7: https://github.com/Neurosim-lab/netpyne/tree/paper/examples/paper/fig7- Fig 8: https://github.com/Neurosim-lab/netpyne/tree/paper/examples/paper/fig8- Fig 9A: https://github.com/ceciliaromaro/PD_in_NetPyNE- Fig 9B: https://github.com/rtekin/myKnoxRepo- Fig 9C: https://github.com/rodriguez-facundo/LASCON-project- Fig 9D: https://github.com/angietep/CA1-NetPyNE-modelTable 1:Dentate gyrus:- Original: https://modeldb.yale.edu/155568- NetPyNE: https://github.com/rodriguez-facundo/LASCON-projectCA1 microcircuits:- Original: https://modeldb.yale.edu/123815- NetPyNE: https://github.com/angietep/CA1-NetPyNE-modelEpilepsy in thalamocortex:- Original: https://modeldb.yale.edu/234233- NetPyNE: https://github.com/rodriguez-facundo/LASCON-projectEEG and MEG in cortex / HNN model:- Original: https://github.com/jonescompneurolab/hnn- NetPyNE: https://github.com/jonescompneurolab/hnn/tree/netpyneMotor cortex with RL: - Original: https://modeldb.yale.edu/183014- NetPyNE: https://github.com/Neurosim-lab/netpyne/tree/development/examples/RL_armCortical microcircuits:- Original: https://github.com/OpenSourceBrain/PotjansDiesmann2014/tree/master/PyNEST- NetPyNE: https://github.com/ceciliaromaro/PD_in_NetPyNE
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (U01EB017695)
- Salvador Dura-Bernal
- Benjamin A Suter
- Matteo Cantarelli
- Adrian Quintana
- Facundo Rodriguez
- Samuel A Neymotin
- Michael Hines
- Gordon M G Shepherd
- William W Lytton
New York State Department of Health (DOH01-C32250GG-3450000)
- Salvador Dura-Bernal
- Facundo Rodriguez
- William W Lytton
Wellcome (101445)
- Padraig Gleeson
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (2R01DC012947-06A1)
- Samuel A Neymotin
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (R01EB022903)
- Salvador Dura-Bernal
- Michael Hines
- William W Lytton
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (R01MH086638)
- Robert A McDougal
- Michael Hines
- William W Lytton
Wellcome (212941)
- Padraig Gleeson
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (3R01EB022889)
- Salvador Dura-Bernal
- Matteo Cantarelli
- Adrian Quintana
- Facundo Rodriguez
- Samuel A Neymotin
- Michael Hines
Australian Research Council (DE140101375)
- David J Kedziora
- Cliff C Kerr
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Copyright
© 2019, Dura-Bernal et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
Metrics
-
- 6,727
- views
-
- 782
- downloads
-
- 123
- citations
Views, downloads and citations are aggregated across all versions of this paper published by eLife.
Download links
Downloads (link to download the article as PDF)
Open citations (links to open the citations from this article in various online reference manager services)
Cite this article (links to download the citations from this article in formats compatible with various reference manager tools)
Further reading
-
- Computational and Systems Biology
- Physics of Living Systems
Planar cell polarity (PCP) – tissue-scale alignment of the direction of asymmetric localization of proteins at the cell-cell interface – is essential for embryonic development and physiological functions. Abnormalities in PCP can result in developmental imperfections, including neural tube closure defects and misaligned hair follicles. Decoding the mechanisms responsible for PCP establishment and maintenance remains a fundamental open question. While the roles of various molecules – broadly classified into ‘global’ and ‘local’ modules – have been well-studied, their necessity and sufficiency in explaining PCP and connecting their perturbations to experimentally observed patterns have not been examined. Here, we develop a minimal model that captures the proposed features of PCP establishment – a global tissue-level gradient and local asymmetric distribution of protein complexes. The proposed model suggests that while polarity can emerge without a gradient, the gradient not only acts as a global cue but also increases the robustness of PCP against stochastic perturbations. We also recapitulated and quantified the experimentally observed features of swirling patterns and domineering non-autonomy, using only three free model parameters - rate of protein binding to membrane, the concentration of PCP proteins, and the gradient steepness. We explain how self-stabilizing asymmetric protein localizations in the presence of tissue-level gradient can lead to robust PCP patterns and reveal minimal design principles for a polarized system.
-
- Computational and Systems Biology
- Neuroscience
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a key site where fear learning takes place through synaptic plasticity. Rodent research shows prominent low theta (~3–6 Hz), high theta (~6–12 Hz), and gamma (>30 Hz) rhythms in the BLA local field potential recordings. However, it is not understood what role these rhythms play in supporting the plasticity. Here, we create a biophysically detailed model of the BLA circuit to show that several classes of interneurons (PV, SOM, and VIP) in the BLA can be critically involved in producing the rhythms; these rhythms promote the formation of a dedicated fear circuit shaped through spike-timing-dependent plasticity. Each class of interneurons is necessary for the plasticity. We find that the low theta rhythm is a biomarker of successful fear conditioning. The model makes use of interneurons commonly found in the cortex and, hence, may apply to a wide variety of associative learning situations.