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AAT Bioquest

The rate at which a nerve impulse travels along a nerve fiber is dependent upon which factor?

Posted January 10, 2024


Answer

The rate at which a nerve impulse travels along a nerve fiber is dependent on the diameter of the nerve fiber. The larger the diameter of the nerve fiber, the faster the nerve impulse travels. This is because the increase in diameter reduces the internal resistance, allowing the nerve impulse to travel faster. The rate at which a nerve impulse travels along a nerve fiber is known as nerve conduction velocity. 

Impulse transmission also depends on the presence or absence of the myelin sheath. The nerve impulse travels faster along a nerve fiber that is covered with a myelin sheath. 

Additional resources

Regulation of Conduction Time along Axons

Cell Signaling Pathways

Amplite® Colorimetric Sphingomyelinase Assay Kit *Blue Color*