NERVE PULSE PROPAGATION IN A CHAIN OF FHN NONLINEAR OSCILLATORS

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Bountis ◽  
H. Christodoulidi ◽  
S. Anastassiou ◽  
Marko Robnik ◽  
Valery Romanovski
Keyword(s):  
Pulse Propagation ◽  
Nonlinear Oscillators ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Nerve Pulse

On biological signaling

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 507-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Günter Nimtz ◽  
Horst Aichmann
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transition ◽  
Alternative Model ◽  
Pulse Propagation ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Bound Water ◽  
Theoretical Description ◽  
Lyotropic Liquid Crystal ◽  
Local Phase ◽  
Electric Action ◽  
Nerve Pulse

AbstractPresently, nerve pulse propagation is understood to take place by electric action pulses. The theoretical description is given by the Hodgkin-Huxley model. Recently, an alternative model was proclaimed, where signaling is carried out by acoustic solitons. The solitons are built by a local phase transition in the lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) of a biologic membrane. We argue that the crystal structure arranging hydrogen bonds at the membrane surface do not allow such an acoustic soliton model. The bound water is a component of the LLC and the assumed phase transition represents a negative entropy step.

ON THE ACTION POTENTIAL AS A PROPAGATING DENSITY PULSE AND THE ROLE OF ANESTHETICS

2007 ◽  
Vol 02 (01) ◽  
pp. 57-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
THOMAS HEIMBURG ◽  
ANDREW D. JACKSON
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transitions ◽  
Action Potential ◽  
Pulse Propagation ◽  
Thermodynamic Theory ◽  
Phase Changes ◽  
Ion Currents ◽  
Nerve Membrane ◽  
Classical Thermodynamic ◽  
Nerve Pulse

The Hodgkin-Huxley model of nerve pulse propagation relies on ion currents through specific resistors called ion channels. We discuss a number of classical thermodynamic findings on nerves that are not contained within this classical theory. In particular striking is the finding of reversible heat changes, thickness and phase changes of the membrane during the action potential. Data on various nerves rather suggest that a reversible density pulse accompanies the action potential of nerves. Here, we attempted to explain these phenomena by propagating solitons that depend on the presence of cooperative phase transitions in the nerve membrane. The transitions, however, are strongly influenced by the presence of anesthetics. Therefore, the thermodynamic theory of nerve pulses suggests an explanation for the famous Meyer-Overton rule that states that the critical anesthetic dose is linearly related to the solubility of the drug in the membranes.

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