An energy-dependent integrate-and-fire model explains coordinated synaptic and intrinsic adaptation under metabolic stress

A “synapses-first” integrate-and-fire model reproduces metabolic-stress adaptations in mouse visual cortical neurons, matching reduced excitatory drive, increased membrane resistance, and depolarized resting potential while preserving firing rates.

• Why it matters: It addresses how neurons coordinate synaptic and intrinsic parameter changes under energetic constraints to maintain an energy–information trade-off, beyond prior endpoint observations.
• What they did: The authors compare candidate control strategies in energy-dependent integrate-and-fire models, testing whether synaptic downscaling plus intrinsic plasticity can match experimental adaptation endpoints.
• The result: Synapses-first best matches key observations, while intrinsic-excitability or firing-rate-variability control models can reach similar endpoints but predict different time courses and less energy-efficient, less stable dynamics.