Axonal oscillations in developing mammalian nerve axons

Abstract

We study neuronal spike propagation in a developing myelinated axon in various stages of its development through detailed computational modeling. Recently, a form of bursting (axonal bursting), has been reported in axons in developing nerves in the absence of potassium channels. We present a computational study using a detailed model for a myelinated nerve in development to explore under what circumstances such an effect can be expected. It is shown that axonal oscillation may be caused by backfiring between the nodes of Ranvier or through backfiring from internodal sodium channels or by reducing the thickness of the myelin wrapping the axon between the nodes of Ranvier.