Theory of threshold fluctuations in nerves. II. Analysis of various sources of membrane noise.

Threshold fluctuations in axon firing can arise as a result of electrical noise in the excitable membrane. A general theoretical expression for the fluctuations is applied to the analysis of three sources of membrane noise: Johnson noise, excess 1/f noise, and sodium conductance fluctuations. Analytical expressions for the width of the firing probability curve are derived for each of these noise sources. Specific calculations are performed for the node of Ranvier of the frog, and attention is given to the manner in which threshold fluctuations are affected by variations of temperature, ion concentrations, and the application of various drugs. Comparison with existing data suggests that threshold fluctuations can best be explained by sodium conductance fluctuations. Additional experiments directed at distinguishing among the various noise sources are proposed.