saltatory conduction - definition of saltatory conduction in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

conduction /con·duc·tion/ (-shun) conveyance of energy, as of heat, sound, or electricity.conduc´tive

aberrant conduction cardiac conduction through pathways not normally conducting cardiac impulses, particularly through ventricular tissue.

aerotympanal conduction conduction of sound waves to the ear through the air and the tympanum.

air conduction conduction of sound waves to the inner ear through the external auditory canal and middle ear.

anterograde conduction transmission of a cardiac impulse in the normal direction, from the sinus node to the ventricles, particularly forward conduction through the atrioventricular node.

Diagrammatic view of the conducting system of the heart, showing anterograde conduction of the cardiac impulse.

bone conduction conduction of sound waves to the inner ear through the bones of the skull.

concealed conduction incomplete penetration of a propagating impulse through the cardiac conducting system such that electrocardiograms reveal no evidence of transmission but the behavior of one or more subsequent impulses is somehow affected.

concealed retrograde conduction retrograde conduction blocked in the atrioventricular node; it does not produce an extra P wave but leaves the node refractory to the next normal sinus beat.

decremental conduction delay or failure of propagation of an impulse in the atrioventricular node resulting from progressive decrease in the rate of the rise and amplitude of the action potential as it spreads through the node.

retrograde conduction transmission of a cardiac impulse backward in the ventricular to atrial direction, particularly conduction from the atrioventricular node into the atria.

saltatory conduction the passage of a potential from node to node of a nerve fiber, rather than along the membrane.

saltatory conduction

A form of nerve impulse conduction in which the impulse jumps from one Ranvier's node to the next, rather than traveling the entire length of the nerve fiber.

saltatory conduction

[sal′tətôr′ē]

Etymology: L, saltare + conducere, to lead together

impulse transmission that skips from node to node, providing rapid transmission.

Saltatory conduction

saltatory

pertaining to or emanating from saltation.

saltatory conduction

the leaping action transfer of electric potential from node of Ranvier to node of Ranvier along a medullated nerve fiber instead of a steady flow along the length of the nerve.