EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE

The effect of temperature on the compound action potential is investigated by dripping a few drops of ice cold Ringer solution onto the nerve and observing the response.

Clicking the Response at 20°C button shows a control response to dripping Ringer’s solution at room temperature onto the nerve.

Clicking the Response at 0°C button shows the response a few seconds after dripping ice cold Ringer’s (0°C) onto the nerve.

Clicking the Response at 20°C button shows the response two minutes after addition of ice cold Ringer’s and demonstrates the recovery of the CNAP as the nerve temperature slowly returns to normal.

Note: Electrode separation was 16 mm throughout the experiment.

ASSIGNMENT FIVE

After the experiment...

1. Calculate the change in mean conduction velocity upon the application of the ice cold Ringer.
2. Say whether cooling affects all types of fibres, i.e. does the distribution of conduction velocities change?