Experimental verification of nerve conduction linearity

Nerves conduct signals known as action potentials. Most investigators assume that the compound action potential (CAP) is a linear superposition of single fiber action potentials (SFAPs), although experimental verification of this assumption has been lacking. Such verification is essential for confidence in modeling results in electrophysiology. In this paper, the authors describe an experiment which studied linear superposition in human peripheral nerves. The results show that the linear superposition principle applies under in situ conditions, implying that there is no active interaction among nerve fibers and that the living tissue is electrically linear.