Thermodynamics of the Nervous Impulse

Abstract

This chapter introduces the thermodynamics of nerves and biological membranes. It shows that the physiological conditions imply the possibility of localized density pulse propagation along the nerve membrane that is in agreement with the thermodynamics findings in nerves. The chapter discusses the propagation of nerve pulses. During nerve pulses, in phase with voltage changes, one finds a reversible release of heat. The chapter outlines that this implies that the nervous impulse is a consequence of reversible physics. To be able to describe the underlying thermodynamic theory, it describes the basics of the textbook model for nerve pulses, in particular, the Hodgkin–Huxley model that explains the propagating pulse as a consequence of specific resistors called ion channels. The chapter shows that this model predicts changes in heat release that are inconsistent with experimental findings.