This book describes fundamental physical principles, together with their mathematical formulations, for modelling the propagation of signals in nerve fibres. Above all, it focuses on the complex electro-mechano-thermal process that produces an ensemble of waves composed of several components, besides the action potential. These components include mechanical waves in the biomembrane and axoplasm, together with the temperature change. Pursuing a step-by-step approach, the content moves from physics and mathematics, to describing the physiological effects, and finally to modelling the coupling effects. The assumptions and hypotheses used for modelling, as well as selected helpful concepts from continuum mechanics, are systematically explained, and the modelling is illustrated using the outcomes of numerical simulation. The book is chiefly intended for researchers and graduate students, providing them with a detailed description of how to model the complex physiological processes in nerve fibres.

Auteur
Jüri Engelbrecht is currently a consultant and professor emeritus at the Tallinn University of Technology (TUT). Previously he was the Head of the Centre for Nonlinear Studies (CENS) at the Department of Cybernetics of TUT and also the President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences ((1994-2004). His research interests are in the field of nonlinear wave mechanics, complexity theory and biophysics. He is the author of several monographs in his field of interest. Kert Tamm is a researcher at the Tallinn Technical University, previously at CENS. His research interests include wave mechanics in microstructured solids, computational mechanics and biophysics. Tanel Peets is a researcher at Tallinn University of Technology, previously at CENS. His main research interests lie in wave mechanics, mathematical modelling and biophysics.

Contenu
Introduction.- Part I Complexity and Waves.- Part II Dynamical Processes in Nerve Axons.- Part III Modelling of Dynamical Physiological Processes.- Appendix: The Numerical Scheme.- Index.