S.D. Solnushkin - Senior Research Scientist, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS (St.-Petersburg). E-mail: solnushkin@list.ru V.N. Chikhman - Ph.D. (Eng.), Head of Information Technology Laboratory, Pavlov Institute of Physiology RAS (St.-Petersburg). E-mail: niv@pavlov.infran.ru

The software (the program Impuls) to study in neuroexperiments the pharmacology of synaptic transmission in the vestibular receptors of the frog is developed. In the experiments a control of frequency changes of neuronal activity is performed with simultaneous recording of multiple (up to ten) biochemical effects on the studied biological object. The source of the experimental data for the program Impuls is designed early device MD236 [1], to count the pulses generated in a given time interval with the subsequent issuance of the count in a computer via USB. The program Impuls released three modes of operation: "experiment", "results processing", "work with archives". In the \"experiment\" mode an accumulation of experimental data in real time is carried out. The graphical interface of the program (Fig.) contains fields to display the measurement results of recorded signals and controls to set the measurement parameters. At the initial stage measurement parameters (pulse amplitude threshold; the value of the interval for pulse counting, the value range display the results) are set. After starting the phase of measurement the dynamic display of measurement results with the possibility of fixing the special labels on the current chart changes in the frequency of neuronal impulses is performed. Thus possible to identify \"areas of interest\", reflecting the behavior of registered processes by external influences, such as the injection of biologically active chemicals (noradrenaline, acetylcholine, and others). Type of drug and its concentration are set by the experimenter with a pre-compiled \"drop-down lists.\" The tags reflect moments of the beginning and end of the pharmacologic effect on the object. The control of graphics during the experiment is provided with sliders - zooming along the axis Y of amplitude values. To control the current neuronal pulsation frequency and time from the start of the experiment are displaying in individual graphic windows. The experimental results are stored in the database. The stage of processing the results of the experiment is carried out with a database (the mode "results processing"). The new window interface provides the opportunity to navigate through the database using the corresponding fields and buttons. In the lower fields of graphic plots the change in frequency of the input pulses, displaying the time of applying the pharmacological effects. There is implemented control charts filtration (low frequency - subtraction a constant component, removal of artifacts - implausible values), separation \"areas of interest\" with the calculation of local maxima or minima, the area under the curve with respect to a logical zero line. Information about the current database record (record identification, an array of time intervals, marks of actions) may be stored separately as an Excel worksheet with aim of further data processing in the mode "work with archives". The software was developed in the environment of Delphi v.6.0 with library functions using Windows API, to display graphs component SL Scope of freely distributed library of visual components Mitov Software is used.

 

1. Molodcov V.O., Smirnov V.JU., Solnushkin S.D., CHikhman V.N. Ustrojjstvo dlja izmerenija chastoty spajjkov // Pribory i tekhnika ehksperimenta. 2013. № 6. C. 88-89.