Cesarman E, Brachfeld N, Estañol B
Neurol Neurocir Psiquiatr. 1978;19(4):230-40.
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.
本研究提出了一种理论，旨在将基本热力学概念与神经系统的电生理学联系起来。在心肌细胞机械活动阶段的热力学和电活动与神经细胞传导过程中的热力学和电活动之间进行了类比。尽管心肌细胞和神经细胞的功能不同，但它们的膜电位激活过程以及相应的热力学和熵变方向基本相同。神经细胞“动作”电位的热力学观点对应于一个被动的下坡过程，在此过程中系统（神经细胞）的熵增加。相反，所谓的“静息”膜电位对应于一个主动的上坡过程。因此，存在一个悖论，因为神经细胞在“动作”膜电位期间在热力学上是被动的，而在“静息”膜电位期间在热力学上是主动的。有人认为，神经系统中的抑制作用可被视为一个热力学上的主动过程。如果负熵过程失败，结果将是系统功能失常或最终破坏。
