LENGTH-TO-LENGTH TRANSMISSION AS THE BASIS OF CONDUCTION, AND SOME RELATED CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT THE LAWS OF EXCITATION

抄録

1. The fibre length y which can be excited by an action length x was calculated. The chief results obtained were as follows:
1) l>x: y=0, l: a small definite length
2) l<x<L: y<x, L: another definite length larger than l
3) L<x<M: y>x, M: another definite length larger than L
4) x>M: y<x,
2. Standing on the above results, it was argued that there can arise fivetypes of conduction with regard to action length, action current and conductionvelocity, as follows:
1) Local graded response (no conduction),
2) Local graded conduction (decremental),
3) Constant conduction,
4) Incremental-constant conduction,
5) Decremental-constant conduction.
3. The length, L, was defined as the minimal length necessary for initiationof impulse. Based on this, it was stressed that conduction is, in essence, fromlength to length, although apparently from point to point or continuous.
4. The following phenomena of conduction were explained from y-x-relationabove stated:
1) Local graded responses and conduction,
2) Conduction in narcotized region (decremental-constant, decremental orlocal),
3) Larger velocity in higher temperature,
4) Dependence of velocity upon stimulation intensity and distance travelled,
5) Larger velocity of thicker fibres,
6) Larger velocity under cathode and smaller velocity under anode.
5. Several excitation laws obtained with conducted impulses as index, wereinterpreted as those for just exciting the length, L, and from this view-point, some well-known excitation phenomena were explained:
1) Appearance of rheobase and “Hauptnutzzeit.”
2) Appearance of the minimal gradient of the linearly increasing current.
3) Phenomena in stimulation with exponentially increasing current.
4) Repetitive responses to strong, long-lasting constant current.
5) Excitability change under electrotonus.
6) Interrelation among electrode distance, applied voltage and length constantat bipolar stimulation.
7) Latency of the action potential.
6. Evaluation of the length, L, was attempted. It appeared to be of theorder of 1-100μ.
7. Discussions were made on the following thema:
1) Interpretation of the local response.
2) Excitation laws in general.
3) All-or-nothing principle.
4) “Accommodation”.
5) Fundamental unit length of action.
8. It was stressed that the laws of local excitation and of conducted impulseshould be worked out separately.