Medulla (Noun)
Meaning 1
A white fatty substance that forms a medullary sheath around the axis cylinder of some nerve fibers.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The myelination process involves the formation of a medulla that insulates the axon, increasing the speed of signal transmission.
- The axons of some nerve fibers are surrounded by a white fatty substance that forms a medullary sheath, or medulla, that protects the delicate axonal membranes.
- Demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis are characterized by damage to the medulla, disrupting the transmission of electrical signals along the axon.
- Research on peripheral nerve fibers has focused on the development of a healthy medulla and the process of myelination in fetal and early postnatal development.
- Neurodegenerative diseases have been shown to be caused in part by abnormalities in the development or maintenance of the medulla that surrounds axons in the peripheral nervous system.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
The inner part of an organ or structure in plant or animal.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Antonyms
Related Words
Meaning 3
Lower or hindmost part of the brain; continuous with spinal cord; (`bulb' is an old term for medulla oblongata); "the medulla oblongata is the most vital part of the brain because it contains centers controlling breathing and heart functioning".
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.