Parallel event-driven neural network simulations using the Hodgkin-Huxley neuron model

Abstract

Neural systems are composed of a large number of highly-connected neurons and are widely simulated within the neurological community. In this paper, we examine the application of parallel discrete event simulation techniques to networks of a complex model called the Hodgkin-Huxley neuron. We describe the conversion of this model into an event-driven simulation, a technique that offers the potential of much greater performance in parallel and distributed simulations compared to time-stepped techniques. We report results of an initial set of experiments conducted to determine the feasibility of this parallel event-driven Hodgkin-Huxley model and analyze its viability for large-scale neural simulations.