Microtubule Electrical Oscillations and Hippocampal Function

" ... the fundamental frequency of 39 Hz in the MT bundles prevailed ... MT bundles also elicited highly synchronized trains of current oscillations that mimicked bursts of action potentials. Higher and lower fundamental frequencies were also observed, regardless of the applied holding potential." {Credits 1}

" Our studies indicate that the electrical oscillations of brain MTs, may contribute to the various oscillatory regimes of individual neurons. The same as with MT oscillations, neural oscillations are governed by the resting potential of the cell, such that hyperpolarized cells will fire at higher frequencies near 10 Hz [33]. Thalamic neurons have, in addition to the low frequency rhythms, a gamma rhythm [34], in the frequency range observed in isolated brain MTs (~39-40 Hz). This is particularly appealing because the dendrite-generated gamma oscillations [35] are essential in the generation of brain gamma band activity and cognitive functions [36]. Forty Hz oscillations are observed in the cortex during physiological stimulation of the visual [37] or auditory cortex [38] during attention states in animals, and the execution of complicated tasks in humans [39]. Similar activity as measured by electric and magnetic means in humans correlates with cognitive tasks [40]." {Credits 1}

" Upon voltage clamping, low frequency electrical oscillations were observed at both ends of the neurite, which displayed different frequencies and complex behaviors, depending on the polarity of the bias. Mirror images at both ends indicated the propagation of the electrical oscillations along the length of the cytoskeleton. Interestingly, the electrical oscillations observed in the hippocampal neurites when one end (stimulus site) was voltage-stimulated, was mirrored at the other end of the neurite (collection site), us showing propagation in a manner rather similar to that originally found in isolated MTs [3]. However, correlation of signals observed at both sides suggested much higher propagation velocity than in isolated MTs." {Credits 1}

" Actin filaments display a number of nonlinear electrical properties of their own, including a nonlinear electro-osmotic behavior [8], and the ability to conduct ion condensation waves [9]. Actin filaments behave as biological cables." {Credits 1}

{Credits 1} 🎪 del Rocío Cantero, M., & Cantiello, H. F. (2020). Microtubule Electrical Oscillations and Hippocampal Function. Journal of Neurology & Neuromedicine, 5(3). © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.