Investigation of Electro-mechanical Coupling in Neuronal Membrane - Towards an Electro-mechanical Model of Nerve Pulse Propagation

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Revathi Appali
• Subject Area: Microsystems ; Biophysics ; Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering ; Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics ; Theoretical Chemistry: Molecules, Materials, Surfaces ; Thermodynamics and Kinetics as well as Properties of Phases and Microstructure of Materials
• Term: from 2014 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 260482124

The proposed project is connected to the basic research of neurodegenerative disorders and respective treatments involving implants and electrodes. The results would be more beneficial for a better understanding of neuronal function. With growing number of neurological complications in human population, the usage of electrically stimulating implants is growing. However, the basic phenomena under the nerve pulse transmission are not clearly understood. Besides the Hodgkin-Huxley hypothesis and model about nerve pulse generation and propagation, in 2005 Heimburg and Jackson have proposed a thermodynamics-based hypothesis and model. Therein the lipid phase transition and the associated electro-mechanical changes in the lipid matrix are attributed for the nerve signal transmission. The role of the lipid matrix in the nerve signal generation and propagation cannot be ignored and needs to be investigated both theoretically and experimentally. There are number of experimental findings in 1960s that have significantly shown the coupling of electro-mechanical properties of lipid membranes. However, the intrinsic property of lipid-lipid chain transition affects the electro-mechanical properties and can be responsible for nerve pulse generation and propagation. It is indeed important to investigate this multi-parametric dependence both theoretically and experimentally. Therefore, the aim of this project is to investigate the electro-mechanical coupling of lipid membranes through theoretical procedures and to provide an electro-mechanical model for nerve pulse generation and propagation. To this end, electrostatic models for lipid bilayers in physiological conditions, with space varying permittivity have been developed. Thus the multi-physics model for nerve signal transmission can be used in neurological implant studies like Cochlea and Deep Brain Stimulation models. The key objectives are 1. to model the multi-physics phenomena of nerve pulse propagation including thermodynamics, mechanical and electrical phenomena 2. to solve this coupled problem numerically 3. for gaining better understanding of neuronal function

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professorin Dr. Ursula van Rienen