ANALOGY BETWEEN THE STIMULUS-RESPONSE CHARACTERISTICS OF NEURONAL ANDELECTROCHEMICAL-CELLS

One of the simplest catalytically rhythmic reactions, an electrochemic al oxidation of formic acid, is found to show a stimulus-response beha vior analogous to that of a nerve. The response of a nerve cell has th ree important characteristics: a threshold, a refractory period and a response that depends on the slope of ramp stimulation. Formic acid ox idation has these characteristics and also shows a digital response to analogue stimulus, Such behavior is discussed in terms of a chemical reaction mechanism.