Extracellular Conductivity and Nerve Signal Propagation: An Analytical Study

The nerve membrane is one of the most researched area in understanding the flow of signal in nervous system. Extensive studies have already been undertaken in this field, and more complex issues are yet to be addressed. The nerve fiber felicitates in the flow of information; thus in order to study the different aspects of signal propagation, a vivid understanding of this structure is necessary. In this study, the effect of loss or attenuation of the signal as it traverse down the nerve is analyzed. The nerve fiber consists of the internal and the external cytoplasmic fluids; here, study is conducted on how the extracellular cytoplasm or the extracellular space influences the nerve signal propagation as it travels down a nerve fiber. The standard cable equation depicting the nerve as an equivalent electrical circuit is used to carry out the study. The analytical study highlights some important aspect of ectoplasm or the extracellular space and its role in signal propagation.