A computational model of an infarcted left ventricle showed that stretch-activated channels increased action potential dispersion in the border zone, which was exacerbated by decreased connectivity.
Computational modeling demonstrates that mechanoelectric feedback and reduced cellular connectivity in the infarct border zone significantly increase action potential dispersion, highlighting potential mechanisms for arrhythmogenesis.
Myocardial infarction (MI) significantly alters the structure and function of the heart. As abnormal strain may drive heart failure and the generation of arrhythmias, we used computational methods to simulate a left ventricle with an MI over the course of a heartbeat to investigate strains and their potential implications to electrophysiology. We created a fully coupled finite element model of myocardial electromechanics consisting of a cellular physiological model, a bidomain electrical diffusion solver, and a nonlinear mechanics solver. A geometric mesh built from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of an ovine left ventricle suffering from a surgically induced anteroapical infarct was used in the model, cycled through the cardiac loop of inflation, isovolumic contraction, ejection, and isovolumic relaxation. Stretch-activated currents were added as a mechanism of mechanoelectric feedback. Elevated fiber and cross fiber strains were observed in the area immediately adjacent to the aneurysm throughout the cardiac cycle, with a more dramatic increase in cross fiber strain than fiber strain. Stretch-activated channels decreased action potential (AP) dispersion in the remote myocardium while increasing it in the border zone. Decreases in electrical connectivity dramatically increased the changes in AP dispersion. The role of cross fiber strain in MI-injured hearts should be investigated more closely, since results indicate that these are more highly elevated than fiber strain in the border of the infarct. Decreases in connectivity may play an important role in the development of altered electrophysiology in the high-stretch regions of the heart.
Wall et al. (Sat,) conducted a other in Myocardial infarction. Computational simulation of electromechanical feedback with reduced cellular connectivity was evaluated on Action potential dispersion and strain. A computational model of an infarcted left ventricle showed that stretch-activated channels increased action potential dispersion in the border zone, which was exacerbated by decreased connectivity.
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