{{Short description|Electrical effect associated with brain cell activity}} In neuroscience, a '''population spike''' (PS) is the shift in electrical potential as a consequence of the movement of ions involved in the generation and propagation of action potentials.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=McNaughton |first1=B. L. |last2=Douglas |first2=R. M. |last3=Goddard |first3=G. V. |date=1978-11-24 |title=Synaptic enhancement in fascia dentata: Cooperativity among coactive afferents |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993%2878%2990030-6 |journal=Brain Research |language=en |volume=157 |issue=2 |pages=277–293 |doi=10.1016/0006-8993(78)90030-6 |pmid=719524 |s2cid=36679732 |issn=0006-8993|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Population spikes often reflect synaptically induced firing and therefore, they can be classified as a type of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials.<br /> In some areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus, neurons are arranged in such a way that they all receive synaptic inputs in the same area.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Krnjević |first1=K. |last2=Ropert |first2=N. |date=1982-09-01 |title=Electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics of facilitation of hippocampal population spikes by stimulation of the medial septum |url=https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0306-4522%2882%2990128-2 |journal=Neuroscience |language=en |volume=7 |issue=9 |pages=2165–2183 |doi=10.1016/0306-4522(82)90128-2 |pmid=6292779 |s2cid=25430925 |issn=0306-4522|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Heginbotham |first1=L. R. |last2=Dunwiddie |first2=T. V. |date=1991-08-01 |title=Long-term increases in the evoked population spike in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus induced by beta-adrenergic receptor activation |url=https://www.jneurosci.org/content/11/8/2519 |journal=Journal of Neuroscience |language=en |volume=11 |issue=8 |pages=2519–2527 |doi=10.1523/JNEUROSCI.11-08-02519.1991 |issn=0270-6474 |pmc=6575519 |pmid=1678426}}</ref> Because these neurons are in the same orientation, the extracellular signals from the generation of action potentials don't cancel out, but rather add up to give a signal that can easily be recorded with a field electrode.<br /> The PS is usually recorded with an extracellular electrode placed close to neural cell bodies or axons. The first interpretations of hippocampal field potentials were developed by Per Andersen.
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Population Spike}} Category:Neurophysiology
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