2007-01-28 11:52:56 · 3 answers · asked by iluvtheyanks2 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
It makes it more difficult to transmit nerve impulses.
Imagine the foam insulation around a hot water pipe - if the insulation is removed or has gaps in it, the heat will escape from the pipe and the water won't be as hot when it reaches the tap.
The same thing happens with demyelination - myelin is like insulation (composed mostly of fat and some protein). When myelin is missing, some of the electrical impulse is lost and doesn't reach its destination. This might be part of the cause of some symptoms in diseases like multiple sclerosis, although of course research is ongoing.
2007-01-28 12:46:44 · answer #1 · answered by sankayak 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the signal traveling along the length of the axon does not travel as well. it will drop out much sooner compered to an axon with an intact myelin sheath
2007-01-28 15:43:24 · answer #2 · answered by mornington observer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bonding or to create a synapse
2007-01-28 11:57:30 · answer #3 · answered by LuckyChucky 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋