title: Anatomical and spiral wave reentry in a simplified model for atrial electrophysiology.
abstract: For modeling the propagation of action potentials in the human atria, various models have been developed in the past, which take into account in detail the influence of the numerous ionic currents flowing through the cell membrane. Aiming at a simplified description, the Bueno-Orovio-Cherry-Fenton (BOCF) model for electric wave propagation in the ventricle has been adapted recently to atrial physiology. Here, we study this adapted BOCF (aBOCF) model with respect to its capability to accurately generate spatio-temporal excitation patterns found in anatomical and spiral wave reentry. To this end, we compare results of the aBOCF model with the more detailed one proposed by Courtemanche, Ramirez and Nattel (CRN model). We find that characteristic features of the reentrant excitation patterns seen in the CRN model are well captured by the aBOCF model. This opens the possibility to study origins of atrial fibrillation based on a simplified but still reliable description.
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Universität Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 7, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Universität Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 7, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany. Electronic address: pedro.g.lind@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Cardiovascular Medicine, University Heart Center Freiburg - Bad Krozingen, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seemann
authors.affiliation: Fachbereich Physik, Universität Osnabrück, Barbarastraße 7, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maass
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000465:Algorithms; D003198:Computer Simulation; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular
keywords: Anatomical reentry; Atrial fibrillation; Reaction–diffusion equation; Spiral wave reentry