ON A CIRCUIT REPRESENTATION OF THE HODGKIN AND HUXLEY NERVE AXON MEMBRANE EQUATIONS

A circuit representation of the nerve axon membrane equations proposed by Hodgkin and Huxley is presented and discussed. In contrast with th e usual circuit formulation found in the literature and based on 'time -varying conductances', all the elements gf the present circuit are ti me-invariant and the whole structure is sufficiently detailed to becom e suitable for both theoretical and numerical investigations. In parti cular, this 'change of perspective' makes it possible to reproduce all the 'classical' results through the use of computer circuit analysis programmes and leads to some new considerations about the basic aspect s of pulse generation mechanisms in the axon membrane. (C) 1997 by Joh n Wiley & Sons, Ltd.