<p>Yes, current leaking out of the axon can be &quot;bad&quot;: in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltatory_conduction" rel="nofollow noreferrer">saltatory conduction</a>, enough signal needs to reach the next <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Node_of_Ranvier" rel="nofollow noreferrer">node of Ranvier</a> for the action potential to be regenerated. Note, however, that as long as enough current reaches the next node of Ranvier, everything is great.</p>
<p>In a way, this current leak is &quot;bad&quot; if it's severe enough. Beyond that, however, it is actually having a high membrane resistance that is &quot;bad&quot;. First of all, passive conduction, as it happens in dendrites, is part of the natural way of the brain to perform computations. Second, in axons, a higher membrane resistance actually <em>decreases</em> the nerve conduction velocity (CV), making your brain &quot;work slower&quot;.</p>
<p>There isn't really a reason to increase the membrane resistance of axons past a certain point, and our bodies naturally do this already: cells called either <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligodendrocyte" rel="nofollow noreferrer">oligodendrocytes</a> (in the CNS) or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwann_cell" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Schwann cells</a> (in the PNS) increase membrane resistance by wrapping around the axons.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-28T23:46:48.383Z
2022-08-26T08:36:30.493Z
2022-08-26T08:36:30.493Z
David Cian
<p>I learned that electrical signal flowing out through the membrane significantly deters the voltage to move down the axon. This seems like a &quot;bad&quot; thing, in that it reduces the efficiency of neurons to pass information.</p>
<p>First of all, is this understanding correct?</p>
<p>Second, are there are chemicals that improve this process, either produced internally or externally?</p>

<neuroscience>
Is there a mechanism in neurons to temporarily increase membrane resistance?
John Suh
# Is there a mechanism in neurons to temporarily increase membrane resistance?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-04-04)

I learned that electrical signal flowing out through the membrane significantly deters the voltage to move down the axon. This seems like a "bad" thing, in that it reduces the efficiency of neurons to pass information.

First of all, is this understanding correct?

Second, are there are chemicals that improve this process, either produced internally or externally?

**Tags:** neuroscience


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-11-28. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

Yes, current leaking out of the axon can be "bad": in [saltatory conduction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saltatory_conduction), enough signal needs to reach the next [node of Ranvier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Node_of_Ranvier) for the action potential to be regenerated. Note, however, that as long as enough current reaches the next node of Ranvier, everything is great.

In a way, this current leak is "bad" if it's severe enough. Beyond that, however, it is actually having a high membrane resistance that is "bad". First of all, passive conduction, as it happens in dendrites, is part of the natural way of the brain to perform computations. Second, in axons, a higher membrane resistance actually *decreases* the nerve conduction velocity (CV), making your brain "work slower".

There isn't really a reason to increase the membrane resistance of axons past a certain point, and our bodies naturally do this already: cells called either [oligodendrocytes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligodendrocyte) (in the CNS) or [Schwann cells](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwann_cell) (in the PNS) increase membrane resistance by wrapping around the axons.


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