Changes In The Axon Initiation Segment Of Thalamic Neurons In Response To Cyclical Stimulation

Changes to the axon initiation segment in frequently firing neurons are known to be important predictors of early disease states. Studying this phenomenon in thalamic neurons is critical to understanding the first insult implicated in multiple neuro-degenerative disorders. To study these changes we used cyclical stimulations using micro-electrodes to the axon initiation segment of mouse thalamic neurons. Numerical simulation results indicate that axon initiation segment water potential fluctuated sinusoidally on high voltage only. Fluctuations in the amplitude and trend were caused by calcium flow and storage resistance, respectively. The change in axon initiation segment-stored water was proportional to the change rate in water potential. Axon initiation segment diameter increased with fluctuations in calcium free media; moreover, it varied slightly under low voltage conditions. Our results indicate that the changes in axon initiation segment diameter were caused by changes in water potential, which can be attributed to subcellular gated calcium channels within the thalamic neurons.