Giant depolarizing potentials (GDP) are the first type of electrical activity of developing brain. These patterns of activity differ a lot from the adult brain activity patterns: they do not carry encoded information, they are generalized, they are relatively slow (with typical time of .1 s), they are repetitive (with typical time of 1s). They are, however, very different from epileptiform activity. In the anatomy of animals, the brain, or encephalon, is the supervisory center of the nervous system. ...

GDPs are slowly spreading in brain structures with a speed of approximately 1 mm/s. They use neuron's connection (axons) for this, using these connections they can develop in connected structures as well (from example from retina to geniculate nucleus). Neurons (also spelled neurones or called nerve cells) are the primary cells of the nervous system. ... An axon, or nerve fiber, is a long slender projection of a nerve cell, or neuron, which conducts electrical impulses away from the neurons cell body or soma. ... Human eye cross-sectional view. ... There are two structures (or rather two pairs of structures) in the brain that could be called geniculate nucleus: lateral geniculate nucleus-vision medial geniculate nucleus-hearing This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

GDPs are observed only in early stages of brain development. In humans they exist only on prenatal stages, in rats they last for approximately P6. Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Human beings define themselves in biological, social, and spiritual terms. ... Prenatal means before birth (is widely used in biology). ... Species 50 species; see text *Several subfamilies of Muroids include animals called rats. ... Postnatal (Latin for after birth) is the period beginning immediately after the birth of a child and extending for about six weeks. ...

Biological role

According to current point of view, slow developing GDPs are essential for neural nets of immature brain development. It's supposed that GDPs take the closest part in synaptogenesys, modification of synaptic connections and synapses maturation. A neural network is an interconnected group of neurons. ... Synapses allow nerve cells to communicate with one another through axons and dendrites, converting electrical signals into chemical ones. ... Synapses allow nerve cells to communicate with one another through axons and dendrites, converting electrical signals into chemical ones. ...

Origin and properties

One of the main conditions for GDPs development (that are met in premature brain and that don't take place in adult one) is that GABA action on these stages should be inhibitory rather then exitatory. This, in its turn, is caused by a much higher concentration of Cl- concentration in cells cytoplasm. Chemical structure of GABA Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter in widely divergent species. ... Cytoplasm is the colloidal, semi-fluid matter contained within the cells plasma membrane, in which organelles are suspended. ...