Question

How does the presence of a myelin sheath affect the conduction velocity of an axon and neuron?

Answer 1

Myelin is a fatty substance. It acts as an insulator and speeds up the signals in axon

• And this will helps to preserve action potentials.
• Myelin sheath also decreases capacitance of neuron in the area it covers
• Myelin wraps around the cell, and it provide a thick layer inside and outside of the cell.
• It acts as a electrical insulator and decrease axonal capacitance.

And it altering conducting properties. reducing the energy requirements for action potential propagation.

due to the presence of myelin sheath at internodes and voltage gatted sodium channels at nodes, the action potential in myelinated nerve fibres jump from one node to another, it allows rapid impulse propagation.