Analogy between the stimulus-response characteristics of neuronal and electrochemical cells

One of the simplest catalytically rhythmic reactions, an electrochemical oxidation of formic acid, is found to show a stimulus-response behavior analogous to that of a nerve. The response of a nerve cell has three important characteristics: a threshold, a refractory period and a response that depends on the slope of ramp stimulation. Formic acid oxidation has these characteristics and also shows a digital response to analogue stimulus. Such behavior is discussed in terms of a chemical reaction mechanisms.