Premium
Virus‐induced electrotonic coupling: Hypothesis on the mechanism of periodic EEG discharges in Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease
Author(s) -
Traub Roger D.,
Pedley Timothy A.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410100502
Subject(s) - neuroscience , excitatory postsynaptic potential , brainstem , coupling (piping) , spinal cord , depolarization , mechanism (biology) , electroencephalography , myoclonus , myoclonic jerk , physics , biology , biophysics , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , mechanical engineering , quantum mechanics , engineering
Experimental evidence and computer modeling indicate that periodic synchronous cellular depolarizing bursts (interictal spikes) arise when the balance between recurrent inhibition and local excitatory coupling is altered. Such a mechanism may explain the generalized periodic sharp waves that characterize the electroencephalogram of many patients with Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease. In Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease, fusions of neuronal processes, particularly dendrites, may lead to abnormal electrotonic coupling between cells, providing the basis for powerful excitatory interaction whereby large neuronal aggregates burst in near synchrony. Cortical synchronous discharges would give rise to sharp waves in the electroencephalogram, whereas similar discharges in brainstem, spinal cord, or elsewhere could lead to myoclonic jerks.