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Nature Neuroscience 12, 530–532 (1 May 2009) | doi:10.1038/nn0509-530

Inhibition by an excitatory conductance: a paradox explained

Bruce P Bean

In the textbook view of neuronal excitability, neurons at rest have simple electrical behavior: a membrane that can be depolarized passively by synaptic current until reaching the threshold for an action potential. In reality, however, the placid surface of the neuron's resting potential turns out to mask a complicated machinery of ionic conductances that are already partially active at rest.