Antidromic Action Potential Propagation in Branched Axons

Electrical stimulation in the central nervous system can generate both orthodromic activity, by stimulation of local cells and passing axons, as well as antidromic activity, by stimulation of presynaptic axons and terminals. We used computational models to study antidromic action potential propagation in branched axons. Antidromic propagation occurred robustly, and action potentials traveled both antidromically into the primary segment as well as "orthodromically" into the terminal secondary segment. Thus, antidromic activation of axon terminals can, through axon collaterals, lead to widespread activation or inhibition of targets distant from the site of stimulation