This is the second edition of a practical introduction to computational
neuroscience through the use of the GENESIS simulator, which is provided on a
CD ROM within the book. It is designed to be a step-by-step tutorial for
professionals, researchers and students working in fields ranging from
neuroscience to bioengineering, medicine, artificial neural networks and the
cognitive sciences.
Part I of the book teaches concepts in neuroscience and neural modeling by
means of interactive computer tutorials on subjects ranging from neuronal
membrane properties to cortical networks. These chapters, written by several
contributors, allow the student to perform realistic simulations and
experiments on model neural systems and provide the necessary background for
understanding and using the tutorials. The simulations are user-friendly with
on-line help and may be used without any prior knowledge of the GENESIS
simulator or computer programming.
Part II is intended to teach the use of the GENESIS script language for the
construction of one's own simulations. This part will be useful for
self-study by researchers who wish to do neural modeling, as well as
students. It follows approximately the same sequence of topics as Part II,
and uses parts of the tutorial simulations as examples of GENESIS
programming. Several of these are based on recent research simulations
which have been published in the neuroscience literature, but which have not
been previously available for use outside the laboratories of the original
researchers. Thus, the reader may modify these simulations and use them as
a starting point for the development of original simulations.
In addition to many revisions and additions to existing chapters, this second
edition includes two new chapters on the modeling of biochemical signaling
pathways and on the use of GENESIS on parallel computers and networks of
workstations. Other new additions include a section describing ways to
implement synaptic modification (learning), a section describing uses of a new
method for modeling of a wide variety of voltage and ionic concentration
dependent channels, a description of improvements in the procedure for
implementing fast "implicit" numerical methods in GENESIS simulations, and
descriptions of many new GENESIS commands and simulation components.
Published February 1998 by TELOS/Springer-Verlag -- ISBN 0-387-94938-0
Send orders to: In Europe:
Springer-Verlag New York, Inc. Springer-Verlag GmbH and Co. KG
333 Meadowlands Pkwy. Tiergartenstrasse 17
Secaucus NJ 07096 D-69121 Heidelberg, Germany
Order desk: 800-777-4643 Main Phone: +49-6221-4870
Fax orders: 201-348-4505 Fax: +49-6221-413982
Email: info@telospub.com
For further information, including the full table of conttents, see the
GENESIS home page http://www.bbb.caltech.edu/GENESIS