6th Edition of Neurology World Conference 2026

Abstract

The Hippocampus (HPC) is the brain’s memory center. In the HPC, there is a region called the CA1. This region receives input from CA3 cells via a structure called a Schaffer Collateral (SC). Glutamate (Glu) is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. In most digital models, Glu is modeled via static diffusion, assuming extracellular homogeneity by using an average diffusion coefficient. They do not accurately describe the extracellular space. Through complex theoretical physics experiments, we’ve shown that Glu diffuses according to a power law. We’re digitally modeling the synapse between a CA1 and a SC. The model is based on a mouse neuron (Combe, Canavier, and Gasparini 2018). Our project will incorporate power law diffusivity at the synapse. The model was translated from a coding language hoc to Python. We imported it into NEURON, a modeling software developed by Yale, and modified it (Gimenez et al. 2025). Then, we modified the cell to include three digital dendritic spines and the SC above them (Fig. 1). We are working on releasing digital Glu from the SC. To visualize the diffusion of Glu across the synaptic cleft, we’re also making a heat map, allowing us to evaluate synaptic cross-talk. Initially, we will utilize the static diffusion model. Once the simulation is consistent, we will implement the power law. Thus, accurately modeling how Glu diffuses across the synaptic cleft. Currently, we are in the early stages of neurocomputation. If we hope to evaluate the effects of psychiatric drugs that modify Glu release, we must first understand how the molecules diffuse naturally. Once our project is complete, we can then begin to evaluate the role of drugs and illnesses on this model. We are effectively building the canvas that other scientists can paint on.