How does nerve conduction work. I know it's all about ions travelling through membranes but which ones. Also, (part of question), how do ionic gateways work?
2006-12-12 20:17:41 · 2 answers · asked by roly 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test of the speed of conduction of impulses through a nerve.
The nerve is stimulated, usually with surface electrodes, which are patch-like electrodes (similar to those used for ECG) placed on the skin over the nerve at various locations. One electrode stimulates the nerve with a very mild electrical impulse.
The resulting electrical activity is recorded by the other electrodes. The distance between electrodes and the time it takes for electrical impulses to travel between electrodes are used to calculate the nerve conduction velocity.
The nerve is stimulated, usually with surface electrodes, which are patch-like electrodes (similar to those used for ECG) placed on the skin over the nerve at various locations. One electrode stimulates the nerve with a very mild electrical impulse.
The resulting electrical activity is recorded by the other electrodes. The distance between electrodes and the time it takes for electrical impulses to travel between electrodes are used to calculate the nerve conduction velocity.
The nerve is stimulated, usually with surface electrodes, which are patch-like electrodes (similar to those used for ECG) placed on the skin over the nerve at various locations. One electrode stimulates the nerve with a very mild electrical impulse.
The resulting electrical activity is recorded by the other electrodes. The distance between electrodes and the time it takes for electrical impulses to travel between electrodes are used to calculate the nerve conduction velocity.
Nerve conduction in a myelinated nerve is faster because the depolarisation / repolarisation events cannot occur in the areas insulated by myelin sheets but "jump" from one node of Ranvier to the next
The velocity of nerve conduction depends on the diameter of the nerve axon (the bigger the diameter the faster the conduction)and on the membrane capacitance. The membrane can be considered a parallel-plate capacitor. The further apart are the plates the faster the movement of the signals, hence conduction is faster in myelinated nerves.
2006-12-12 21:01:49 · answer #1 · answered by veerabhadrasarma m 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its with the ions sodium (Na+) and pottasium (K-). I think that by "ion gateway" you mean "ion channel". Ion channels are proteins (groups of proteins) in the membrane to allow ions to pass through.
2006-12-13 15:45:17 · answer #2 · answered by Gwenael 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋