👉 PDEs, or Peripheral Depolarizing Effects, refer to the transient changes in membrane potential that occur in neurons when certain proteins called PDEs are activated. These proteins, primarily found in the cytoplasm of neurons, catalyze the breakdown of cyclic nucleotides like cAMP and cGMP, which can influence various cellular processes including ion channel activity. When PDEs are activated, they increase the degradation of these second messengers, leading to a rapid decrease in their levels. This results in a short-lived depolarization or "fume" effect, where the neuron momentarily becomes less excitable before potentially returning to its resting state. This phenomenon is crucial for understanding how neurons process and transmit signals efficiently and dynamically.
