Transmission of synaptic signals along bistable dendrites

The amplitude and duration of an EPSP in the bistable dendrite has a strong nonlinear dependence on the subsynaptic conductance; at certain conductance values the EPSP switches on the stable depolarization of the dendrite. The stable depolarization remains after the excitatory currents decay. The long-lasting N-methyl-D-aspartatic synaptic currents with negative subsynaptic resistance are more effective in switching on the stable depolarization. Synaptic inputs on the bistable dendrites can accomplish logical conjunction disjunction, implication, and their negation. A set of dendritic branches at the stable depolarization and the corresponding spontaneous firing frequency memorizes the result of the logical operations. This type of memory conforms with the Gelfand-Cetlin principle of minimizing the afferentation in the central nervous system