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Effects of anisotropy on functional reentrant circuits: preliminary results of computer simulation studies

  • Chapter
Activation, Metabolism and Perfusion of the Heart

Part of the book series: Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine ((DICM,volume 70))

Abstract

The effects of uniform anisotropy of conduction was studied on functional reentry in a computer model. The model simulated conduction of the cardiac impulse in a 30 × 30 matrix of cells, connected to each other by a specified resistance that determined the time lag between excitation of one cell and another (conduction velocity). Each cell also had a predetermined time course for recovery of excitability (refractory period). Functional reentry was initiated in an isotropic matrix (equal conduction latencies in all directions) by exciting a cell adjacent to a transient line of conduction block. Functional reentrant circuits had properties of ‘leading circle’ reentry. The wave length of the circulating excitation (refractory period × conduction velocity) was only slightly shorter that the path length of the circuit, did not vary greatly as the impulse conducted around the circuit and only a very small excitable gap was present. During established reentry, the sheet was made anisotropic (conduction in the horizontal direction was 5 times more rapid than in the vertical direction). This caused the reentrant circuit to assume an oval shape. Furthermore, the wave length of the circulating excitation changed markedly in different regions of the circuit, expanding during rapid horizontal conduction and contracting during slow vertical conduction. As a result of the slow vertical conduction and the resultant short wave length, a large excitable gap appeared. The results predict, therefore, that functional reentrant circuits in anisotropic tissue will have an excitable gap.

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Authors
  1. W. J. E. P. Lammers
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  2. A. L. Wit
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  3. M. A. Allessie
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rutgers Medical School, Rutgers State University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA

    S. Sideman D.Sc. (Professor of Chemical Engineering and R.J. Matas / Winnipeg Professor of Biomedical Engineering) (Professor of Chemical Engineering and R.J. Matas / Winnipeg Professor of Biomedical Engineering)

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200, Israel

    S. Sideman D.Sc. (Professor of Chemical Engineering and R.J. Matas / Winnipeg Professor of Biomedical Engineering) & R. Beyar M.D., D.Sc. (Senior Lecturer) (Professor of Chemical Engineering and R.J. Matas / Winnipeg Professor of Biomedical Engineering) &  (Senior Lecturer)

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© 1987 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

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Lammers, W.J.E.P., Wit, A.L., Allessie, M.A. (1987). Effects of anisotropy on functional reentrant circuits: preliminary results of computer simulation studies. In: Sideman, S., Beyar, R. (eds) Activation, Metabolism and Perfusion of the Heart. Developments in Cardiovascular Medicine, vol 70. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3313-2_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3313-2_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7987-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3313-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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