title: Chemical implementation of neural networks and Turing machines.
abstract: We propose a reversible reaction mechanism with a single stationary state in which certain concentrations assume either high or low values dependent on the concentration of a catalyst. The properties of this mechanism are those of a McCulloch-Pitts neuron. We suggest a mechanism of interneuronal connections in which the stationary state of a chemical neuron is determined by the state of other neurons in a homogeneous chemical system and is thus a "hardware" chemical implementation of neural networks. Specific connections are determined for the construction of logic gates: AND, NOR, etc. Neural networks may be constructed in which the flow of time is continuous and computations are achieved by the attainment of a stationary state of the entire chemical reaction system, or in which the flow of time is discretized by an oscillatory reaction. In another article, we will give a chemical implementation of finite state machines and stack memories, with which in principle the construction of a universal Turing machine is possible.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hjelmfelt
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Weinberger
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008433:Mathematics; D008568:Memory; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008959:Models, Neurological; D016571:Neural Networks, Computer; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology