Nervous System
Mediumbiology
Myelin sheath increases conduction velocity primarily by:
Select the correct option:
Solution
Incorrect! Answer:
Facilitating saltatory conduction
- Myelination: Many axons are covered by an insulating layer called the myelin sheath (formed by Schwann cells or oligodendrocytes).
- Nodes of Ranvier: There are periodic gaps in this insulation where the axonal membrane is exposed.
- Saltatory Conduction: In myelinated neurons, the action potential doesn't travel continuously along the membrane. Instead, it 'jumps' from one node to the next.
- Effect: This significantly increases the speed of nerve impulse transmission compared to unmyelinated fibers of the same diameter.
- Resistance: Myelin actually increases membrane resistance, forcing current to flow down the axon to the next node.
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About This Question
- Subject
- biology
- Chapter
- human physiology
- Topic
- nervous system
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
Facilitating saltatory conduction
- Myelination: Many axons are covered by an insulating layer called the myelin sheath (formed by Schwann cells or oligodendrocytes).
- Nodes of Ranvier: There are periodic gaps in this insulation where the axonal membrane is exposed.
- Saltatory Conduction: In myelinated neurons, the action potential doesn't travel continuously along the membrane. Instead, it 'jumps' from one node to the next.
- Effect: This significantly increases the speed of nerve impulse transmission compared to unmyelinated fibers of the same diameter.
- Resistance: Myelin actually increases membrane resistance, forcing current to flow down the axon to the next node.
This medium difficulty biology question is from the chapter human physiology, covering the topic of nervous system. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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