Temperature effects and correlation analysis in cardiac tissue

Cardiac dynamic is characterized by complex spatiotemporal phenomena, including alternans and arrhythmias. A deep understanding of these phenomena is required for an effective prediction of pathological regimes, and, to this aim, mathematical modeling represents a necessary tool to be used in combination with experiments. In this contribution, we present a mathematical framework able to reproduce endocardium spatiotemporal dynamics, including temperature feedback on the electrophysiological response. The model correctly reproduces action potential shape, duration, and conduction velocity modulations upon thermal variations, as observed in experiments. Besides, simulations and experiments show similar spatiotemporal correlation properties at varying pacing frequencies. Our outcomes suggest the use of a novel indicator of alternans development and arrhythmias onset.