How Do Nerves Work?
Nerves carry signals throughout the body – a chemical superhighway, Nerves are the transmission cables that carry brain waves in the human body, says Sol Diamond, an assistant professor at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. According to Diamond, nerves communicate these signals from one point to another, whether from your toenail up to your brain or from the side of your head.
Nerve transmissions
Some nerve transmissions travel great distances through the human body,
others travel short distances – both use a de-polarisation to create the
circuit. De-polarisation is like a wound-up spring that releases stored energy
once it is triggered.
Myelinated and un-mylinated
Some nerves are myelinated (or insulated) with fatty tissue that appears
white and forms a slower connection over a longer distance. Others are un-myelinated and are un-insulated. These nerves travel shorter distances.
Nerve triggers
When many neurons are activated together at the same time, the nerve is
excited – this is when we might feel the sensation of touch or a distinct smell.
