Ionic Theory of Activity of Nerve Centers and of Propagation of Nerve Impulse

In this article I intend to give an explanation of the ionic theory of function of nerve centers in connection with propagation of nerve stimulation. The experiments of many authors and our observations ~ show that during continuous action of nerve centers there takes place a periodic process of stimulation which results in a periodic electromotive force. The periods of different centers are not identical and vary from 0.01 to 1 second. From the view-point of ionic theory of stimulation, the periodicity of actions of centers must depend on the periodic changes of the concentration of ions in the centers. These changes are brought about by periodic chemical reactions. The kinetics of such a periodic reaction is not well known. The attempt of many authors to develop the doctrine of this reaction, based on the kinetics of ordinary chemical reactions, does not give definite results and if we want to apply the kinetics of periodic reactions to the domain of physiology of the nervous system, it suffices to assume that in the nerve cells during activity there takes place a periodic chemical reaction resulting in a periodic change of ionic concentration. The equation of this periodic change of concentration C can be written as follows: c =f(t) (1)