Zaymiey

🔬 Biology  ·  Neural Control and Coordination  ·  NEET

Demyelinating disease slows nerve conduction because:

Answer: Loss of myelin sheath converts saltatory conduction to slow continuous conduction; threshold may not be reached at nodes.

  • A It directly destroys the entire neuron cell body along with its nucleus and cellular organelles in routine practice
  • B Loss of myelin sheath converts saltatory conduction to slow continuous conduction; threshold may not be reached at nodes
  • C It pharmacologically blocks voltage-gated sodium channels distributed along the entire axon membrane overall in most cases
  • D It substantially increases resting membrane permeability specifically to potassium ions present under typical conditions

Correct answer: B. Loss of myelin sheath converts saltatory conduction to slow continuous conduction; threshold may not be reached at nodes

Explanation: Myelin loss: action potential must continuously depolarize the axon membrane (continuous conduction) rather than jumping between nodes. Much slower, and in severe demyelination, signal can fail to propagate entirely.

Labeled diagram of a neuron showing dendrites, cell body (soma) with nucleus, axon, myelin sheath, Nodes of Ranvier, and axon terminals

Structure of a neuron. Image: LadyofHats (Mariana Ruiz), Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Concept context

Brain, spinal cord, neurons, reflex arcs, and sense organs.

Read the full Neural Control and Coordination notes →