Temporal Resolution of Heat Exchange during Action Potential of Nerve

Abstract

The response of nerves or electric organs is known to be accompanied by heat production followed by an absorption [1–3], The present author previously found that the response of a number of tissues was initiated at a threshold by a sudden reduction in the temperature and “abolished” at a threshold by a sudden increase in temperature of the preparation [4]. In addition it was found in the squid axon and in other tissues that by an appropriate combination of a thermal source and a voltage source almost any point in the I—V plane was an operating point [5–7]. These findings have prompted the author to attempt to obtain a temporal resolution of heat exchange during the action potential. The results are briefly presented in this communication.

Supported by Gruppo di Cibernetica del C. N. R.