Title
Spiral wave breakup in excitable media with an inhomogeneity of conduction anisotropy.
Abstract
Many conditions remodel the heart muscle such that it results in a perturbation of cells coupling. The effect of this perturbation on the stability of the spiral waves of electrochemical activity is not clear. We used the FitzHugh-Nagumo model of an excitable medium to model the conduction of the activation waves in a two-dimensional system with inhomogeneous anisotropy level. Inhomogeneity of the anisotropy level was modeled by adding Gaussian noise to diffusion coefficients corresponding with lateral coupling of the cells. Low noise levels resulted in a stable propagation of the spiral wave. For large noise level conduction was not possible due to insufficient coupling in direction perpendicular to fibers. For intermediate noise intensities, the initial wave broke up into several independent spiral waves or waves circulating around conduction obstacles. At an optimal noise intensity, the number of wavelets was maximized-a form of anti-coherent resonance was obtained. Our results suggest that the inhomogeneity of conduction anisotropy may promote wave breakup and hence play an important role in the initiation and perpetuation of the cardiac arrhythmias.
Year
DOI
Venue
2010
10.1016/j.compbiomed.2010.07.005
Comp. in Bio. and Med.
Keywords
DocType
Volume
excitable media,low noise level,spiral wave,conduction obstacle,conduction anisotropy,anisotropy level,intermediate noise intensity,spiral wave breakup,optimal noise intensity,activation wave,gaussian noise,large noise level conduction
Journal
40
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
9
1879-0534
1
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.63
1
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
P Kuklik111.30
L Szumowski210.63
P Sanders3194.85
J J Zebrowski410.63