Biological Computer Modeling / Biological Computer Simulation
Mahmoud Amiri; Fariba Bahrami; Mahyar Janahmadi
Volume 4, Issue 2 , June 2010, , Pages 83-96
Abstract
Based on the neurophysiologic findings, astrocytes provide not only structural and metabolic supports for the nervous system but also they are active partners in neuronal activities and synaptic transmissions. In the present study, we improved two biologically plausible cortical and thalamocortical neural ...
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Based on the neurophysiologic findings, astrocytes provide not only structural and metabolic supports for the nervous system but also they are active partners in neuronal activities and synaptic transmissions. In the present study, we improved two biologically plausible cortical and thalamocortical neural population models (CPM and TCPM), which were developed previously by Suffczynski and colleagues, by integrating the functional role of astrocytes in the synaptic transmission in the models. In other words, the original CPM and TCPM are modified to integrate neuronastrocyte interaction considering the idea of internal feedback proposed by Iasemidis and collaborators. Using the modified CPM and TCPM, it is demonstrated that healthy astrocytes provide appropriate feedback control for regulating the neural activities. As a result, we observed that the astrocytes are able to compensate for the variations in the cortical excitatory input and maintain the normal level of synchronized behavior. Next, it is hypothesized that malfunction of astrocytes in the regulatory feedback loop can be one of the probable causes of seizures. That is, pathologic astrocytes are not any more able to regulate and/or compensate the excessive increase of the cortical excitatory input. Consequently, disruption of the homeostatic or signaling function of astrocytes may initiate the hypersynchronous firing of neurons. Our results confirm the hypothesis and suggest that the neuronastrocyte interaction may represent a novel target to develop effective therapeutic strategies to control seizures.
Cell Biomechanics / Cell Mechanics / Mechanobiology
Farhad Tabatabaei Ghomshe; Ahmad Reza Arshi; Masoud Mahmoudian; Mahyar Janahmadi
Volume -1, Issue 1 , June 2004, , Pages 77-92
Abstract
Effective pharmacological analysis encompassing both the pharmacodynamics and the pharmacokinetics of the heart, dictates the necessity for responses made by the main channel receptors, to be appropriately modelled. This approach is of critical value when the pharmacological responses of the organ during ...
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Effective pharmacological analysis encompassing both the pharmacodynamics and the pharmacokinetics of the heart, dictates the necessity for responses made by the main channel receptors, to be appropriately modelled. This approach is of critical value when the pharmacological responses of the organ during pathological states are under investigation. To this effect, the electrochemical phenomenon in the heart was simulated using a specifically simplified three dimensional model based on the cellular physiological concepts. Various advanced models for different types of heart cells were combined to produce a three dimensional model capable of describing the electrophysiological, electrochemical and geometric characteristics of a heart in a non-pathological state. Various cell type models such as central and peripheral SA node, AV node, atrial myocyte, ventricular myocyte, and specialized cells for rapid conductance like purkinje fibres were included in the 3D model. The cellular architecture in the model follows the non-heterogeneity of the heart structure accompanied by gap junctions representing cellular interconnections. Here the transport of Na+, Ca++, K+ and CL- was primarily governed by such factors as electrical and chemical potential gradients along with other energetic mechanisms. The simplified heart geometry is introduced through 18 layers with 25 cells in each layer. Model equations were solved to simulate a one second using a 2.6 GHz Pentium IV PC. The simulation was performed utilizing MA TLAB programming language which provides effective visualization capabilities. The CEP model could be adopted as a preliminary basis towards individualizations in pharmacology and electrophysiology.
