The Soliton and the Action Potential - Primary Elements Underlying Sentience.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Computational Neuroscience
• Biophysics

Background:

• The neurological basis of sentience and the precise mechanism of action potentials remain poorly understood.
• Current artificial brain neural network (BNN) models often oversimplify neural processing, assuming binary computation and neglecting critical factors like signal latency and dynamic network structures.
• Existing models fail to accurately represent the complex nature of nerve conduction and brain computation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge the binary model of action potentials and propose a new computational model.
• To present evidence for the action potential as a temporal compound ternary structure, termed the computational action potential (CAP).
• To offer a more biologically plausible mechanism for neural transmission and computation in realistic BNNs.

Main Methods:

• Proposed a novel model of the action potential, the computational action potential (CAP), as a temporal compound ternary structure.
• Described a biophysical model of an ion channel involving soliton pressure pulses in the cell membrane.
• Incorporated the refractory period as an analog third phase capable of phase-ternary computation.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests the action potential is a temporal compound ternary structure (CAP), not binary.
• The CAP model includes a refractory period, enabling analog computation through colliding action potentials.
• A soliton-based mechanism for ion channel deformation and subsequent mechanical contraction is proposed.

Conclusions:

• The computational action potential (CAP) provides a more realistic framework for understanding brain communication and BNNs.
• The refractory period is identified as a crucial computational element, enabling ternary computation.
• This ternary model offers a plausible alternative to Cable Theory for explaining neural transmission.