medullated
Definition
- Adjective:
- (Of neurons) covered with a layer of myelin: Describes a nerve fiber (axon) that is insulated by a fatty white substance called myelin. This sheath increases the speed at which electrical impulses travel along the nerve cell.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The peripheral nerves contain both medullated and non-medullated fibers.
- In the central nervous system, medullated axons appear white, forming the "white matter."
- The rapid transmission of signals is a key function of medullated neurons.
Advanced Usage
- Technical/Medical Context: The term is almost exclusively used in specialized fields like neurology, neuroanatomy, and histology. It is a precise descriptor for the physical state of a nerve fiber.
- The biopsy showed a loss of medullated fibers, consistent with the diagnosis.
Variants and Related Words
- Myelinated (Adjective): This is a more common synonym in modern scientific English. "Medullated" and "myelinated" are often used interchangeably.
- Myelinated axons conduct impulses faster than unmyelinated ones.
- Myelin (Noun): The fatty insulating sheath itself.
- Diseases like multiple sclerosis damage the myelin.
- Unmyelinated/Non-medullated (Adjective): Describes nerve fibers lacking a myelin sheath.
- Non-medullated fibers are responsible for slower, continuous conduction.
Synonyms
- Myelinated: Having a myelin sheath (the most direct synonym).
- Sheathed: Covered with a protective layer (a more general term).
Antonyms
- Unmyelinated: Not covered with a myelin sheath.
- Non-medullated: Not medullated.
Adjective
-
(of neurons) covered with a layer of myelin
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