Introducing the brain: real neuron resting periods (Introduction)

by David Turell , Thursday, January 06, 2022, 18:47 (841 days ago) @ David Turell

A new discovery:

https://phys.org/news/2022-01-century-old-assumption-neurons-brain-disproven.html

"For more than a hundred years it was surmised that each neuron is characterized by a unique short resting time of approximately two to three milliseconds after the spike occurred, in which the neuron cannot re-generate a consecutive spike. This resting period is followed by a longer period of stutter neuronal responses until full responsiveness is achieved.

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"First, the duration of the resting time can exceed 20 milliseconds, almost 10 times longer than previously assumed. These long refractory periods are even further increased depending on preceding neuronal activity.

"Second, the resting period is sensitive to the origin of the input signal. Stimulation of the neuron from different directions (e.g., "left" and "right") results in different refractory periods. When the neuron is stimulated from the left, for example, the duration of the refractory period is much longer than stimulation from the "right."

"Third, the neuron is a very precise element with a sharp transition from the refractory period to full responsiveness, without an intermediate stutter phase where the same stimulation of the neuron results in an evoked spike only with some probability."

Comment: further proof Labet's findings of time delay were reasonable.