Neurons might not fire using the electrical ion channels found in every textbook, but instead run on a chemical engine of electron transfers.
April 29, 2026
Original Paper
Neuronal electricality founded in murburn-thermodynamic principles: 1. Background and basic theoretical formulation
arXiv · 2604.24772
The Takeaway
The standard model of brain activity assumes that neurons send signals by pumping ions like sodium and potassium across their membranes. This new theory suggests that the process is actually driven by the flow of electrons through metabolic reactions within the cell. If this is true, the fundamental mechanism behind every thought and movement in the human body is chemical rather than purely electrical. It shifts our understanding of the brain from a series of wires to a complex network of tiny fuel cells. This insight could rewrite the foundations of neuroscience and change how we treat brain disorders. It means our very consciousness might be powered by a different form of physics than we were taught.
From the abstract
Trans-membrane gradients and fluxes of cations (H+, Na+, K+, etc.) were deemed to be the rationale of electrical activities of aerobic cells/organelles, as per classical perceptions. Murburn concept (an umbrella of theorization based in stochastic redox processes) has afforded novel models for various metabolic, bioenergetic and electrophysiological outcomes. Herein, the foundational mechanistic formalisms for the electrical activities of neurons that lead signal relay along the axonal length ar