On this week's Journal Club session, Reinoud Maex will talk about their work in the presentation entitled "Do neurons develop Joule heat?".
The electric currents thought to underlie a neuron's excitability should make neurons particularly susceptible to Joule heating. Here it is argued and analytically demonstrated that although depolarizing (inward) transmembrane currents and axial currents do generate Joule heat, precisely the same amount of heat is absorbed over time by hyperpolarizing (outward) currents. Hence there should be no net development of Joule heat in neurons.
Papers:
- R. Maex, "Do neurons develop Joule heat?", 2026, under review,
Date: 2026/10/30
Time: 14:00
Location: SP3011 & online