Alan J. McComas
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199751754
- eISBN:
- 9780199897094
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199751754.003.0005
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, History of Neuroscience, Sensory and Motor Systems
Using a sensitive capillary electrometer, Francis Gotch and Victor Horsley obtain the first, barely detectable, recordings of nerve impulses. Later, Keith Lucas begins a novel and important series of ...
More
Using a sensitive capillary electrometer, Francis Gotch and Victor Horsley obtain the first, barely detectable, recordings of nerve impulses. Later, Keith Lucas begins a novel and important series of investigations into the properties of nerve and muscle impulses at Cambridge. Once conclusion is that the impulse maintains its full amplitude while travelling along a fibre (the “all or none” law). After a brilliant undergraduate career, Edgar Adrian joins Lucas. Together, they conclude that the energy for the transmission of the impulse is derived locally, from the fibre itself-rather like the firing of a train of gunpowder. They decide to use the capillary electrometer rather than the newly-invented Einthoven string galvanometer for their further studies. With the outbreak of the 1914–18 war, their work is brought to a halt.Less
Using a sensitive capillary electrometer, Francis Gotch and Victor Horsley obtain the first, barely detectable, recordings of nerve impulses. Later, Keith Lucas begins a novel and important series of investigations into the properties of nerve and muscle impulses at Cambridge. Once conclusion is that the impulse maintains its full amplitude while travelling along a fibre (the “all or none” law). After a brilliant undergraduate career, Edgar Adrian joins Lucas. Together, they conclude that the energy for the transmission of the impulse is derived locally, from the fibre itself-rather like the firing of a train of gunpowder. They decide to use the capillary electrometer rather than the newly-invented Einthoven string galvanometer for their further studies. With the outbreak of the 1914–18 war, their work is brought to a halt.
Alan J. McComas
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199751754
- eISBN:
- 9780199897094
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199751754.003.0007
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, History of Neuroscience, Sensory and Motor Systems
Returning from the war, Adrian continues where he and Lucas had left off. Using the capillary electrometer and Lucas’ mechanical device for correcting distortion, he demonstrates the true form of the ...
More
Returning from the war, Adrian continues where he and Lucas had left off. Using the capillary electrometer and Lucas’ mechanical device for correcting distortion, he demonstrates the true form of the nerve impulse and then investigates the refractoriness that briefly follows the impulse. With the aid of a valve amplifier he detects the spontaneous discharges of sensory nerve fibres as a muscle is stretched by its own weight. This chance observation leads him to study sensory receptors elsewhere and to conclude that information is transmitted to the brain in the form of trains of impulses, the impulses being identical in form but differing in frequency. Among other activities, Adrian shows that contracting muscles also employ a frequency code, and he and Bryan Matthews confirm Berger’s observation of electrical activity that can the recorded from the human brain with electrodes on the scalp (the “EEG”).Less
Returning from the war, Adrian continues where he and Lucas had left off. Using the capillary electrometer and Lucas’ mechanical device for correcting distortion, he demonstrates the true form of the nerve impulse and then investigates the refractoriness that briefly follows the impulse. With the aid of a valve amplifier he detects the spontaneous discharges of sensory nerve fibres as a muscle is stretched by its own weight. This chance observation leads him to study sensory receptors elsewhere and to conclude that information is transmitted to the brain in the form of trains of impulses, the impulses being identical in form but differing in frequency. Among other activities, Adrian shows that contracting muscles also employ a frequency code, and he and Bryan Matthews confirm Berger’s observation of electrical activity that can the recorded from the human brain with electrodes on the scalp (the “EEG”).
