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Advan. Physiol. Edu. 270: 78S-80S, 1996;
1043-4046/96 $5.00
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Advances in Physiology Education, Vol 270, Issue 6 78-S80, Copyright © 1996 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Teaching nerve conduction to undergraduates: the "traveling flame" analogy revisited

S. S. Sircar and O. P. Tandon
Department of Physiology, University College of Medical Sciences, Shahdara, Delhi, India.

A familiar analogy to the propagation of the electric wave in a nerve lies in the burning of a cigarette. This analogy, which has persisted through several editions of popular textbooks of physiology, has never been elaborated beyond a cursory mention. In this article, the analogy is reinvoked and refined to explain the cable properties of nerve, saltatory conduction, and some other factors affecting nerve conduction velocity. Experience in lecture classes and feedback obtained through class tests indicate that the analogy, if suitably elaborated and judiciously applied, can increase the retention of the subject by the students.




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