due to the massive amount of neurons in the brain, how is it possible that electrical signals don’t crosspost (don’t mind if I do) from one axon to another?

Question

Electrical signals are transmitted in the most superficial outer layer of the axon (along the myelin sheath) or, at least, that’s what I’ve been told at school.

Is this (if any, ofc) one of the reasons why human thinking is so complex?

In: Biology

Answer 1

The myelin sheath is just an insulator. The charged ions diffuse inside the cell which is surrounded by the myelin sheath. At the nodes of Ranvier (areas of axon not covered) charges get a refresh with more ions so the charge can continue down the axon.

At the terminal end of the axon is where neurotransmitters are released to be noticed by dendrites of a neighboring neuron. The charge has no where to “leak” from since it’s not in the form we think of. It’s just an ion imbalance which gives the charge.

The charge is just the physical push for the neuron to release neurotransmitters into the post synaptic cleft. All communication between differing nerve cells is mediated by neurotransmitters.