The same unmodified PyNN code runs with several supported programs, including NEURON, PCSIM, NEST, and Brian (http://briansimulator.org), which itself similarly allows implementation seamlessly compatible on GPUs and traditional hardware (Goodman, 2010). NeuroTools (http://neuralensemble.org/trac/NeuroTools) provides supporting tools for tasks associated with a simulator such as setup, parameterization, data management, analysis, and visualization. NeurAnim (http://sourceforge.net/projects/neuranim) animates neural network simulations in 3D. These latter

two resources may be valuable for use BMS-354825 order with circuit simulations implemented in the environments described above and in Table 1. The explosive and continuing acceleration in collection and application of digital reconstruction of neuronal morphology has created a pressing Epacadostat order need for organized efforts toward data curation, annotation, storage, and distribution. Meta-analysis of existing primary

data pooled from many studies and reanalysis of selected data sets can lead to remarkable secondary discoveries (Ascoli, 2007). In turn, data sharing and reuse by the community increases the visibility and impact of the original studies for which the data were collected. Therefore, several laboratories are freely posting their reconstructions online after result publication, either on their own website, or in public resources such as NeuroMorpho.Org. This section describes existing free databases of neuronal reconstructions, all of which are actively maintained and regularly

updated. Since NeuroMorpho.Org mirrors data from other existing collections in addition to allowing direct deposition from researchers, individual laboratory databases are not described separately (though they are listed at the end of the section), unless they contain relevant complementary data not included elsewhere. 1. NeuroMorpho.Org is a public, NIH-sponsored, central repository of digital reconstructions of neuronal morphologies. Version 5.5 (Winter 2013) had 8,858 reconstructions contributed by 108 laboratories from about 19 species and 20 brain regions, representing the broad diversity of dendritic and axonal morphology ( Figure 1). Morphologies can be browsed and searched with dropdown menus ( Figure 4D) or with a Google-like keyword bar by any metadata category (e.g., neuron type, experimental conditions, and file format), as well as by morphometry (number of branches, volume, etc.). Neurons are returned as summary lists or organized by animal species, brain region, neuron type, or laboratory of origin and can be downloaded or inspected in the browser with an intuitive interactive display. All available rodent neurons are also accessible through a voxel density map visualized in a 3D mouse brain atlas. A quick-start guide, FAQs, and numerous links to many other relevant resources described in this review are also available online. NeuroMorpho.