Selective Inactivation of Neuronal Dendritic Domains: Computational Approach to Steady Potential Gradients

The complex and heterogeneous morphology of neurons ensures that different domains are not isopotential, enabling the use of local voltage transients to code information. During certain patophysiological events such as anoxia or spreading depression (SD) waves, neurons lose electrogenesis and membrane potential collapse, presumably becoming isopotential. However, in some cases inactivation is not complete, and some dendritic domains may still develop normal electrogenesis. Using a compartmental pyramidal neuron, we simulated the electrical status of the membrane during SD waves and examined the voltage changes along the neuron morphology. Strong axial gradients of potential arise that “isolate” the seized dendritic domains while leaving near regions capable to develop normal electrical activity.