Solutions to axon equations

Abstract

The solutions to a general class of axon partial differential equations proposed by FitzHugh which includes the Hodgkin-Huxley equations are studied. It is shown that solutions to the partial differential equations are exactly the solutions to a related set of integral equations. An iterative procedure for constructing the solutions based on standard methods for ordinary differential equations is given and each set of initial values is shown to lead to a unique solution. Continuous dependence of the solutions on the initial values is established and solutions with initial values in a restricted (physiological) range are shown to remain in that range for all time. The iterative procedure is not suggested as the basis for numerical integration.