Action potential conduction speed and dyscorrelation, affective disorders and the influence of essential fatty acids

Abstract 

The endogenous affective disorders have been postulated to be due to the neurotransmitter theories, even though there is increasing evidence of a timing abnormality. Recently, action potential (AP) speed differentials and resulting AP dyscorrelation have been postulated for the bipolar disorders. This AP dyscorrelation path is extended here to include some of the other affective disorders. The genetic studies have confirmed loci and proteins which probably predispose to increased water compartmentalization differentials. Indeed, higher water compartmentalization differentials have been confirmed in affective phenotypes. Electrophysiological measures have consistently suggested AP dyscorrelation in patients and more recently in “unaffected” carriers. Future studies should use genotyped subjects and manipulations to investigate possible manipulation-induced water compartmentalization changes and AP speed changes.