Department of Physiology

Nerve conduction velocity

I. Apparatus – Dissection instruments, Ringer solution, muscle lever, pin, cotton,
thread, stimulator, kymograph.
II. Procedure –
1. Arrange the apparatus as to record simple muscle curve. Connect the reversingkey in
the secondary circuit instead the short-circuiting key. Connect two pairs of electrodes
to the reversing key.
2. Place the pair of electrodes on the nerve close to the muscle and other pair of
electrodes on the nerve close to vertebral column.
3. Rotate the drum at the fastest speed (640mm/sec); using the reversing key. Stimulate
the nerve at its muscle end and take a SMT (mark it as M curve); alsomark the point of
stimulus (Fig.)
4. Keep the same baseline and without the change of the point of stimulus or strength of
stimulus, stimulate the nerve at its vertebral end using the reversing key and take
another SMT (mark it as V curve) (fig)
5. Take the time tracing with the help of tuning fork (Frequency 100Hz). Note the
difference in latent period of the two SMTs (let it be t sec.). This represents timetaken
by the impulse to travel from one point to another point
6. Measure the distance between the central points of two pairs of electrodes (let itbe S
cm)
7. Calculate the conduction velocity of the nerve using the following formula:

Distance travelled (S) in cm

=
Time taken by nerve impulse from one Point to another (t sec)

Expressed in m/s
Question Answer :-
Q. 1. What is the normal conduction velocity of frog’s sciatic
nerve?
Ans. Normally it is 35 to 40 meters/sec.
Q. 2. How are the nerve fibers classified? Give their functions.
Ans. According to Erlanger and Gasser classification, the
nerve fibers are divided into A, B and C groups.
‘A’ group nerve fibers are further divided into a α, β,γ and δ
fibers.
Fibers type Function
1. Aα Proprioception, somatic motor
2. Aβ Touch, pressure
3. Aγ Motor to muscle spindles
4. Aδ Pain, temperature, touch
5. B Preganglionic autonomic fibers
6. C
i) Dorsal root: pain, touch, temperature
ii) Sympathetic: post-ganglionic sympathetic fibers.

Q. 3. Give the characteristic features of a nerve fiber based on

its diameter.
 Ans. The greater the diameter of a given fiber:
i) The greater is its speed of conduction and magnitude of
spike potential;
ii) The smaller is the duration of spike;
iii) The lesser will be the threshold of excitation and
refractory period.
Q. 4 Enumerate the factors affecting the conduction velocity in a
nerve.
Ans. Factors affecting the conduction velocity in a nerve are:
i) Diameter of nerve fiber
ii) Presence or absence of myelination
iii) Temperature
iv) Conducting media in which nerve is placed
v) Proximity of RMP to the threshold.
Q. 5. Why the distance travelled by the nerve impulse is
measured from the mid-points of two limbs of the electrodes.
Ans. An electrode has 2 limbs and since it is not known which
limb is anode or cathode, therefore, the distance is measured from
the mid-point of the two limb of the electrode.
Q. 6. What is the relevance of this experiment to medical
physiology?
Ans. Determination of conduction velocity in a nerve help in:
i) Tracing recovery of nerve injuries;
ii) Assessing the extent of damage done to a nerve due to
trauma or in demyelination disorders.