Welcome To EONS! (Elementary Objects of the Nervous System)

Our research focus consists in modeling hippocampal synaptic nonlinear dynamics and understanding their challenging complexity. Such modeling consists in understanding the role of the elements that comprise a synapse and participate in the transmission of information from the presynaptic terminal to post-synaptic density and more generally from a neuron to another. This also involves understanding the different interactions that exist between these elements and how geometry affects synaptic response.

Our research is done through a modeling platform called EONS (Elementary Objects of the Nervous System). This platform consists of a graphical interface in which elements that comprise a single glutamatergic synapse (both pre- and post-synaptically), their behavior as well as the underlying synaptic geometry can be modified. For example, EONS offers the ability to study the effect of voltage-gated calcium channels density and distribution, the number and location of receptors and more.

Latest News:

  • September, 2023

    - New Version of EONS v1.3.1. Speed improvements, updated Java support and misc. bug fixes.
  • February, 2018

    - New Version of EONS v1.2.2. Speed improvements, and bug fix.
  • November, 2012

    - New Version of EONS v1.2.1. Significant speed improvements, batch simulations, etc... (see history for release notes).
  • June, 2011

    - New Version of EONS v1.1.3. Significant speed improvements, GABA feed-forward, etc... (see history for release notes).
  • Feb, 2010

    - New Version of EONS v1.1.2. New AMPA and NMDA receptors. 2 subversions exist: a 'student' and 'normal' version (see history for release notes).
  • Sept. 2, 2009

    - New Version of EONS v1.1.0. New AMPA and NMDA receptors. 2 subversions exist: a 'student' and 'normal' version (see history for release notes).
  • Jun. 6, 2008

    - New Version of EONS v1.0. Added AMPA receptor 13 states model (see history for release notes).
  • Jan. 7, 2008

    - New Version of EONS v1.0. Glycine transporter and histamine H3 receptors added to the platform.
  • Dec. 3, 2007

    - New Version EONS v1.0. Faster graphs, big fixes, etc...
  • Nov. 2, 2007

    - New Version of EONS v1.0. Added ability to retrieve memory space.
  • Sept 20, 2007

    - EONS for NEURO524.
  • June 1, 2007

    - New Version of EONS v1.0. Improved interface with zoom and pause options during simulation.
  • March 12, 2007

    - A Short Course is being organized for EONS (June 2007).
  • March 17, 2006

    - New Version of EONS v2.0 that allows the visualization of the diffusion within a geometry using the function 'FEM_Vis' (See User Guide - List of Mathematical Expressions)

Important note: requirements!
All versions of EONS are Web Start Applications and require that you have an up to date Java Virtual Machine installed. Please visit the Java website for more informations.

EONS v1.3

EONS v1.3 is the perfect tool to study the basic interactions between synaptic elements in a friendly manner. There are no complicated equations to write: all the models are predefined! This version is a great tool for first time users and students interested in learning about synapses, as well as for studying geometry and distribution hypotheses in a 2D rectangular geometry.

A synapse in EONS v1.0

EONS v2

EONS v2 is a much more flexible platform. The user can specify the equations that drive the models, as well as the geometry of the synapse (complex 2D geometry based on real electromicrograph pictures). This platform requires much more advanced modeling experience. See the tutorial for more information.

A synapse in EONS v2.0

Other projects

  • Contour Generator (Aug. 4, 2004).
    In this application, the user can delineate the contours of a structure using a jpeg/gif image. The generated contours file becomes an input to the Mesh2D software to generate a 2D mesh.

  • Differential Equation Generator (Jan. 24, 2006).
    In this application, the user can interactively design kinetic equations and generate the corresponding equations that can be directly plugged into EONS.