Newcomb-Benford Law in Neuromuscular Transmission: Validation at Hyperkalemic Conditions

Abstract

Recently, we demonstrated the validity of anomalous numbers law, known as Newcomb-Benford's law, at the mammalian neuromuscular transmission, considering different extracellular calcium concentrations arXiv:2002.01986. The present work continues to examine how alterations in extracellular solution modulate the first digit law in the context of the spontaneous release of acetylcholine from the neuromuscular junction. We investigated if the intervals of miniature potentials collected at the neuromuscular junction obey the law in a hyperkalemic environment. The analysis showed that the interval between the miniature potentials at high potassium concentrations follows Newcomb-Benford's law. Also, our data allowed us to uncover a conformity fluctuation as a function of the number of intervals of the miniature potentials. Finally, we discuss the biophysical implications of the present findings.