Clinical Observations on the T Wave of the Auricle Appearing in the Human Electrocardiogram

Abstract

There has been considerable difference of opinion during the development of electrocardiography as to the relationship between the electrical phenomena of the heart beat, as recorded by the electrocardiograph, and the attendant muscular activity. It has come to be generally held that the waves of the electrocardiogram indicate the spread of relative electrical negativity throughout the heart from the region of the sino-auricular node to the various parts of the heart's musculature. The electrical energy propagated in this manner has been the expression of the so-called "excitation wave."Much physiological research has been undertaken in an attempt to demonstrate the time relationship between this "excitation wave" and the muscular contraction of the heart. In general most of such work has been by the method of simultaneous registration of electrocardiographic and myocardiographic records in such a manner that they can be compared, and the sequence of events studied and measured. Similar comparisons have been made between electrocardiograms and intracardiac pressure curves. Myocardiographs have been devised by Cushny, Roy, Gesell, Wiggers and others, and have been used in connection with the string galvanometer, for which we are indebted to Professor W. Einthoven.By the extensive researches of Garten and Weber, Wiggers, Lewis, Feil and Stroud, Wiggers and Dean, and others, it became generally recognized that the "excitation wave" precedes the muscular contraction of the heart by a definite and constant interval. Wiggers (1)

Physiology and analysis of the electrocardiographic T wave in mice

“…In addition, short episodes of noise derived from skeletal muscles associated with respiration are visible on the ECG. We speculate that this is a Ta wave representing atrial repolarization (Sprague & White 1925). 1b).…”

Misinterpretation of the mouse ECG: ‘musing the waves of Mus musculus’

“…1D). In man the PR segment is non-isoelectric and may represent atrial repolarization (Sprague & White, 1925;Holmqvist et al 2009). In some cases the P wave in mice is followed by a small negative deflection and others have proposed that this deflection represents atrial repolarization.…”

“…D ). In man the PR segment is non‐isoelectric and may represent atrial repolarization (Sprague & White, ; Holmqvist et al . ).…”

Detailed ECG Analysis of Atrial Repolarization in Humans

“…3 They noted that the Ta wave was negative, i.e., its direction was opposite to that of the P wave, and that the duration was typically between 0.32 and 0.42 seconds. Consequently, studies describing the Ta wave under these conditions are uncommon.…”

“…Sprague and White first described the Ta complex, using patients with third-degree AV block as a model, as early as 1925. 3 They noted that the Ta wave was negative, i.e., its direction was opposite to that of the P wave, and that the duration was typically between 0.32 and 0.42 seconds. Findings in subsequent studies are in agreement with this initial description of the Ta wave.…”