Ionic mechanisms maintaining action potential conduction velocity at high firing frequencies in an unmyelinated axon

The descending contralateral movement detector (DCMD) is a high-performance interneuron in locusts with an axon capable of transmitting action potentials (AP) at more than 500 Hz. We investigated biophysical mechanisms for fidelity of high-frequency transmission in this axon. We measured conduction velocities (CVs) at room temperature during exposure to 10 mmol/L cadmium, a calcium current antagonist, and found significant reduction in CV with reduction at frequencies >200 Hz of ~10%. Higher temperatures induced greater CV reductions during exposure to cadmium across all frequencies of ~20-30%. Intracellular recordings during 15 min of exposure to cadmium or nickel, also a calcium current antagonist, revealed an increase in the magnitude of the afterhyperpolarization potential (AHP) and the time to recover to baseline after the AHP (Medians for Control: -19.8%; Nickel: 167.2%; Cadmium: 387.2%), that could be due to a T-type calcium current. However, the removal of extracellular calcium did not mimic divalent cation exposure suggesting calcium currents are not the cause of the AHP increase. Computational modeling showed that the effects of the divalent cations could be modeled with a persistent sodium current which could be blocked by high concentrations of divalent cations. Persistent sodium current shortened the AHP duration in our models and increased CV for high-frequency APs. We suggest that faithful, high-frequency axonal conduction in the DCMD is enabled by a mechanism that shortens the AHP duration like a persistent or resurgent sodium current.