TY - JOUR
T1 - The thermodynamic theory of action potential propagation
T2 - A sound basis for unification of the physics of nerve impulses
AU - Drukarch, Benjamin
AU - Wilhelmus, Micha M.M.
AU - Shrivastava, Shamit
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Benjamin Drukarch et al., published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2021.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The thermodynamic theory of action potential propagation challenges the conventional understanding of the nerve signal as an exclusively electrical phenomenon. Often misunderstood as to its basic tenets and predictions, the thermodynamic theory is virtually ignored in mainstream neuroscience. Addressing a broad audience of neuroscientists, we here attempt to stimulate interest in the theory. We do this by providing a concise overview of its background, discussion of its intimate connection to Albert Einstein's treatment of the thermodynamics of interfaces and outlining its potential contribution to the building of a physical brain theory firmly grounded in first principles and the biophysical reality of individual nerve cells. As such, the paper does not attempt to advocate the superiority of the thermodynamic theory over any other approach to model the nerve impulse, but is meant as an open invitation to the neuroscience community to experimentally test the assumptions and predictions of the theory on their validity.
AB - The thermodynamic theory of action potential propagation challenges the conventional understanding of the nerve signal as an exclusively electrical phenomenon. Often misunderstood as to its basic tenets and predictions, the thermodynamic theory is virtually ignored in mainstream neuroscience. Addressing a broad audience of neuroscientists, we here attempt to stimulate interest in the theory. We do this by providing a concise overview of its background, discussion of its intimate connection to Albert Einstein's treatment of the thermodynamics of interfaces and outlining its potential contribution to the building of a physical brain theory firmly grounded in first principles and the biophysical reality of individual nerve cells. As such, the paper does not attempt to advocate the superiority of the thermodynamic theory over any other approach to model the nerve impulse, but is meant as an open invitation to the neuroscience community to experimentally test the assumptions and predictions of the theory on their validity.
KW - acoustic waves
KW - action potential
KW - brain
KW - neuronal communication
KW - thermodynamics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121446435&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1515/revneuro-2021-0094
DO - https://doi.org/10.1515/revneuro-2021-0094
M3 - Article
C2 - 34913622
SN - 0334-1763
JO - Reviews in the Neurosciences
JF - Reviews in the Neurosciences
ER -