Brain, Vol 121, Issue 10 1975-1983, Copyright © 1998 by Oxford University Press
D Burke, I Mogyoros, R Vagg and MC Kiernan
The voltage dependence of indices of axonal excitability were quantified
for cutaneous afferents in eight normal subjects, using the threshold for a
target compound sensory action potential as a measure of membrane
potential. The membrane potential was altered using subthreshold
depolarizing and hyperpolarizing currents of various sizes (-50% to +50% of
threshold). Refractoriness and supernormality were determined as the
threshold change required to produce the target potential when preceded by
a supramaximal stimulus at appropriate conditioning-test intervals. The
strength-duration time constant (tauSD) was calculated from the threshold
currents using unconditioned test stimuli of 0.1 and 1 ms. There was a
near-linear relationship between each of these indices and the reciprocal
of threshold (a measure of 'excitability'). It is argued that the voltage
dependencies of refractoriness and tauSD largely reflect the behaviour of
transient and persistent Na+ channels, respectively, and that the present
data therefore quantify aspects of Na+ channel behaviour in human nerves.
ARTICLES
Quantitative description of the voltage dependence of axonal excitability in human cutaneous afferents
Department of Neurology, Prince of Wales Hospital and Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, Randwick, Sydney, Australia. D.Burke@unsw.edu.au
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