When we light a stick of dynamite the wick is lit, it is consumed and the thing peta. The transmission of a nerve impulse is the same: an action potential is generated, it spreads through the axon and when it reaches the end, the synapse, the information is passed to another cell. In both cases, the problem is if the fuse goes out prematurely.
A nerve impulse in humans travel between 1-100m / s. It is a variable speed because it depends on the electrical conduction capacity of the axon since, as in the case of electrical cables in your house, the passage of electrical charges encounters certain resistance in the axon that could even prevent the signal from reached the synapse.
One way to reduce this resistance is by increasing the diameter of the axon, as does the giant squid whose axons can be 1mm thick, but there are more strategies to facilitate electrical conduction that we will see in future chapters.
You can see all the chapters of the Neuropill series by entering here
About Neuropills:
Created, directed and presented by Pablo Barrecheguren (@pjbarrecheguren), Neuropíldoras (2018) is a scientific dissemination project made by Big Van Ciencia in collaboration with Muy Interesante and carried out with the collaboration of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology – Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FECYT).
