[Thermodynamics and electrophysiology of the nervous system].

Abstract

This study expresses a theory designed to associate the fundamental thermodynamic concepts to the electrophysiology of the nervous system. An analogy is drawn between the thermodynamic and electrical events of the myocardial cell during its mechanical phases with those thermodynamic and electrical events of the nerve cell during conduction. Although the myocardial and nerve cells are designed to perform different functions, their processes of membrane potential activation and corresponding directions of thermodynamic and entropy changes are basically the same. A thermodynamic view of nerve cell "active" potential corresponds to a passive downhill process during which the entropy of the system (nerve cell) increases. In contrast, the so called "resting" membrane potential corresponds to an active uphill process. Thus, there is a paradox because the nerve cell is thermodynamically passive during the "active" membrane potential, whereas it is thermodynamically active during the "resting" membrane potential. It is suggested that inhibition in the nervous system may be considered a thermodinamically active process. If the negentropic process fails, the result is the malfunctioning or the final destruction of the system.