Introduction

In order to investigate the dynamics of single subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons and the activity patterns when STN neurons are connected with other types of (basal ganglia) neurons, in vitro brain slices and networks of dissociated neurons of a specific type cultured on a multi-electrode array (MEA) may be used to identify the ion channels that determine membrane dynamics and to investigate network activity in open-loop configurations. In addition, mathematical modelling provides a powerful tool to test neuron and network behaviour under different conditions. Especially the emergence of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as an effective treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) has recently motivated the development of several computational models to probe (part of) the underlying network activity as well as the mechanisms of stimulus-induced suppression of PD-induced activity patterns.