Insulating myelin makes the impulse jump between nodes of Ranvier, greatly increasing speed.
Myelin insulation reduces capacitance and leakage; current flows quickly between nodes of Ranvier where channels cluster. Speeds reach up to about 120 m/s versus 1 m/s in unmyelinated axons.
Myelin increases speed without increasing axon diameter, saving space. Nodes contain concentrated sodium channels. Demyelination leads to conduction block.
Key idea: signals jump from node to node.
Insulating myelin makes the impulse jump between nodes of Ranvier, greatly increasing speed.
Myelin and Saltatory Conduction is one of the 54 topics in Neuroscience. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include Action Potential, Glial Cells, Cerebral Cortex.
Demyelination in multiple sclerosis slows conduction.
Work through the Beginner topics in Neuroscience first, such as Nervous System, Neuron, Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems, then return to Myelin and Saltatory Conduction. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
The closest topics to Myelin and Saltatory Conduction are Action Potential, Glial Cells, Cerebral Cortex, Depolarisation and Repolarisation. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Myelin and Saltatory Conduction. To practise the whole of Neuroscience, use the Neuroscience quiz.
Myelin and Saltatory Conduction: Insulating myelin makes the impulse jump between nodes of Ranvier, greatly increasing speed. Action Potential: A rapid, all-or-none reversal of membrane potential that travels along an axon. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Action Potential and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Neuroscience quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.
A rapid, all-or-none reversal of membrane potential that travels along an axon.
🧠 NeuroscienceSupport cells such as astrocytes and oligodendrocytes that nourish, insulate and protect neurons.
🧠 NeuroscienceThe folded outer layer of the cerebrum responsible for perception, language and reasoning.
🧠 NeuroscienceSodium channels open and the cell becomes positive, then potassium channels open to restore the negative interior.
🧠 Neuroscience