Abstract
Memory is a property common to a diverse range of tissues. Cardiac memory has been demonstrated in the human, dog, rat and rabbit. This is a peculiar phenomenon, reflected in the T wave of the electrocardiogram. The heart is able to remember periods of alterations in the sequence of ventricular activation and once there is a return to a normal sequence of ventricular activation the T waves may manifest memory. Cardiac memory is noted when the T wave during normal ventricular activation retains the vector of the previous abnormal QRS complex, caused by a period of altered ventricular activation. Possible mechanisms of memory in the heart are alterations of the transient outward potassium current (I10) in ventricular myocytes and new protein synthesis inside myocytes. These two mechanisms operate in short- and long-term cardiac memory respectively. Currently, it is unknown whether memory may have adverse structural consequences in the heart. We were able to demonstrate memory in the hearts of Dorper wethers and this is the first report of cardiac memory in Dorper sheep.
Highlights
The T wave of this beat is negative—the polarity of this T wave follows the polarity of the QRS complex of the premature ventricular complexes (PVCs)—the heart “remembers”
Primary T wave changes are independent of the QRS complex and are derived from intrinsic ventricular ion channels and other electrical determinants of ventricular repolarization (Rosen 2001)
Secondary T wave changes, on the other hand, derive from an altered sequence of ventricular activation—the preceding QRS complex must be abnormal (Rosenbaum & Blanco 1982; Rosen 2001) and these T wave changes are seen during the period of abnormal ventricular activation
Summary
This appears to be the case—cardiac memory has been demonstrated in the heart of the human, dog, rat and rabbit (Rosenbaum & Blanco 1982; Goldberger & Kadish 1999; Herweg & Chang 2001; Rosen 2001, 2002). Cardiac memory is manifested as peculiar changes of the T wave, seen on the electrocardiogram (Rosenbaum & Blanco 1982; Goldberger & Kadish 1999; Rosen 2001, 2002). How is cardiac memory manifested in the T wave and what type of
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