MATRIC NUMBER: AUL/NSC/22/108

THE CLASSIFICATION OF NERVE

FIBRES

DANIELLA AWURUMIBE
AUL/NSC/22/108
200 LEVEL

ANCHOR UNIVERSITY, LAGOS

PHYSIOLOGY 223

DR. MEDUBI
MATRIC NUMBER: AUL/NSC/22/108

27TH OF JUNE, 2024.

CLASSIFICATION OF NERVE FIBRES

DEFINITION AND ANATOMICAL MAKE-UP OF AXONS
An axon (from Greek ἄξων áxōn, axis) or nerve
fiber (or nerve fibre) is a long, slender projection of a
nerve cell, or neuron, in vertebrates, that typically
conducts electrical impulses known as action
potentials away from the nerve cell body. The function
of the axon is to transmit information to different
neurons, muscles, and glands. In certain sensory
neurons (pseudounipolar neurons), such as those for
touch and warmth, the axons are called afferent nerve
fibres and the electrical impulse travels along these
from the periphery to the cell body and from the cell
body to the spinal cord along another branch of the
same axon.

Nerve fibres are classed into three types – group A

nerve fibres, group B nerve fibres, and group C nerve
fibres. Groups A and B are myelinated, and group C
are unmyelinated. These groups include both sensory
fibres and motor fibres. Another classification groups
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only the sensory fibres are classed as are: Type I, Type

II, Type III, and Type IV.

An axon is one of two types of cytoplasmic protrusions

from the cell body of a neuron; the other type is
a dendrite. Axons are distinguished from dendrites by
several features, including shape (dendrites often
taper while axons usually maintain a constant radius),
length (dendrites are restricted to a small region
around the cell body while axons can be much longer),
and function (dendrites receive signals whereas axons
transmit them). Some types of neurons have no axon
and transmit signals from their dendrites. In some
species, axons can emanate from dendrites known as
axon-carrying dendrites. No neuron ever has more
than one axon; however in invertebrates such as
insects or leeches the axon sometimes consists of
several regions that function more or less
independently of each other.

Axons are covered by a membrane known as

an axolemma; the cytoplasm of an axon is
called axoplasm. Most axons branch, in some cases
very profusely. The end branches of an axon are
called telodendria. The swollen end of a telodendron is
known as the axon terminal which joins the dendrite or
cell body of another neuron forming
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a synaptic connection. Axons make contact with other

cells – usually other neurons but sometimes muscle or
gland cells – at junctions called synapses. In some
circumstances, the axon of one neuron may form a
synapse with the dendrites of the same neuron,
resulting in an autapse. At a synapse,
the membrane of the axon closely adjoins the
membrane of the target cell, and special molecular
structures serve to transmit electrical or
electrochemical signals across the gap. Some synaptic
junctions appear along the length of an axon as it
extends; these are called en passant ("in passing")
synapses and can be in the hundreds or even the
thousands along one axon. Other synapses appear as
terminals at the ends of axonal branches.

A single axon, with all its branches taken together, can

target multiple parts of the brain and generate
thousands of synaptic terminals. A bundle of axons
make a nerve tract in the central nervous system, and
a fascicle in the peripheral nervous system.
In placental mammals the largest white matter tract in
the brain is the corpus callosum, formed of some 200
million axons in the human brain.
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NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY

Cell diameter: The greater the cell diameter, the
greater the conduction velocity.Myelin: The greater
the myelination, the greater the conduction velocity.•
Large myelinated fibers = fast conduction• Small
unmyelinated fibers = slow conduction

Three types of nervesAfferent nerves are composed of

sensory nerve fibers (axons) grouped together to carry
impulses from receptors to the central nervous
system.Efferent nerves are composed of motor nerve
fibers carrying impulses from the central nervous
system to effector organs, such as muscles or
glands.Mixed nerves are composed of both afferent
and efferent nerve fibers.(SAME: Sensory Afferent ,
Motor Efferent)
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NERVE FIBRES ARE CLASSIFIED ON THE BASIS OF

THEIR;
 Diameter
 Conduction velocity
 Degree of myelination
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CLASSIFICATION OF NERVE FIBRES:

 Letter classification of Erlanger and Gasser

 Numerical Classification
 Susceptibility of nerve fibres to hypoxia, pressure
and local anesthesia
 Myelinated and Non-myelinated classification

LETTER CLASSIFICATION OF ERLANGER

AND GASSER
This is the best known classification based on the
diameter and conduction velocity of nerve fibres.
Erlanger and Gasser divided mammalian nerve fibres
into A, B, and C groups, further subdividing the A
group into α, β, γ, and δ fibres.

A FIBRES

A fibres are myelinated and have the largest

diameters among nerve fibres, resulting in the fastest
conduction velocities. They are further subdivided into
A (α)\alpha, A (β)\beta, A (γ) \gamma, and A (δ)\delta
fibres based on their diameter, conduction velocity,
and specific functions.

A (α)\alpha fibres:

 Diameter: 13-20 µm
 Conduction velocity: 80-120 m/s
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 Function: These fibres are primarily involved in

motor functions and proprioception. They innervate
skeletal muscles (motor neurons) and are involved
in the sensory perception of body position and
movement (proprioception). Examples include Ia
fibres from muscle spindles (which detect stretch)
and Ib fibres from Golgi tendon organs (which
detect tension).

A (β)\beta fibres:

 Diameter: 6-12 µm
 Conduction velocity: 35-75 m/s
 Function: These fibres are primarily sensory and
are involved in transmitting information related to
touch and pressure. They innervate
mechanoreceptors in the skin, such as Merkel cells
and Meissner corpuscles, which detect fine touch
and vibration.

A (γ)\gamma fibres:

 Diameter: 3-8 µm
 Conduction velocity: 15-40 m/s
 Function: These fibres are involved in motor
control of muscle spindles. They adjust the
sensitivity of muscle spindles to stretch by
innervating intrafusal muscle fibres, thereby
playing a crucial role in the regulation of muscle
tone and reflexes.

A (δ)\delta fibres:

 Diameter: 1-5 µm
 Conduction velocity: 5-35 m/s
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 Function: These fibres are involved in the

transmission of sharp, localized pain (fast pain), as
well as temperature sensations (primarily cold).
They innervate nociceptors (pain receptors) and
thermoreceptors.

B FIBERS

B fibers are myelinated but have a smaller diameter

and slower conduction velocity compared to A fibers.

 Diameter: 1-3 µm
 Conduction velocity: 3-15 m/s
 Function: These fibers are part of the autonomic
nervous system, specifically the pre-ganglionic
autonomic fibers. They transmit information from
the central nervous system to autonomic ganglia,
where they synapse with post-ganglionic neurons
that innervate target organs. They play a role in the
regulation of various involuntary functions, such as
heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate.

C FIBERS

C fibers are unmyelinated, making them the smallest

and slowest conducting fibers in the peripheral
nervous system.

 Diameter: 0.2-1.5 µm
 Conduction velocity: 0.5-2 m/s
 Function: These fibers are involved in the
transmission of slow, diffuse pain (slow pain) and
temperature sensations (primarily warmth). They
also transmit touch sensations and are part of the
autonomic nervous system, specifically the
postganglionic autonomic fibers. C fibers innervate
various sensory receptors, including nociceptors
and thermoreceptors, and play a role in the
regulation of various involuntary functions, such as
sweating and blood vessel dilation.
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FIBRE TYPE MYELINATED/ FIBRE CONDUCTI SPIKE FUNCTION

NON- DIAMETER ON DURATION
MYELINATED (ΜM) VELOCITY (MS)
(M/S) Effere Afferent
nt
A α Myelinated 12-20 70-120 0.4-1 Somati Proprioce
c ption
motor

β Myelinated 5-12 30-70 0.4-1 - Touch

and
Pressure

γ Myelinated 3-6 15-30 0.4-1 Motor -

to
muscle
spindle

δ Myelinated 2-5 12-30 0.4-1 - Pain,

Touch
and Cold

B - Myelinated <3 3-15 1.2 Pregan -

glionic
Autono
mic

C - Non- 0.4-1.2 0.5-2 2 Postga Pain and

myelinated nglioni Temperat
c ure
Autono
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mic

NUMERICAL CLASSIFICATION
Some physiologists have classified sensory nerve
fibres by a numerical system into type Ia, Ib, II, III and
IV. A comparison of the numerical classification and
the letter classification is shown in Table below;

NUMERICAL LETTER
CLASSIFICATION CLASSIFICATION
Ia A α

Ib A α

II A β

III A δ

IV C

SUSCEPTIBILITY OF NERVE FIBERS TO

HYPOXIA, PRESSURE AND LOCAL
ANAESTHETICS
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Nerve Fibres are also classified on the basis of their

response to external stimuli of our use such as
hypoxia, pressure and local anaesthetics.

Susceptibility to Hypoxia

Hypoxia, or reduced oxygen supply, affects nerve

fibers based on their metabolic demands and size.

 A (α)\alpha fibers: These large, myelinated

fibers have high metabolic demands and are
highly sensitive to hypoxia. They are often the
first to be affected, leading to early signs of motor
weakness and loss of proprioception.
 A (β)\beta fibers: These fibers are also
relatively large and myelinated, making them
susceptible to hypoxia. Sensory deficits like loss
of touch and pressure sensation can occur early.
 A (γ)\gammaγ fibers: These fibers are
moderately susceptible to hypoxia due to their
smaller size compared to Aα\alphaα and Aβ\betaβ
fibers.
 A (δ)\deltaδ fibers: These small myelinated
fibers are less susceptible to hypoxia compared
to larger A fibers. They are involved in pain and
temperature sensation, which may be affected
later.
 B fibers: These myelinated autonomic fibers are
relatively small and moderately susceptible to
hypoxia. Autonomic dysfunction may arise as a
result.
 C fibers: These unmyelinated fibers have lower
metabolic demands and are the least susceptible
to hypoxia. Pain and temperature sensations
transmitted by C fibers are preserved the longest.

Susceptibility to Pressure
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Pressure affects nerve fibers based on their

myelination and diameter, with larger and myelinated
fibers being more vulnerable.

 A (α)\alpha fibers: Highly susceptible to

pressure due to their large diameter and
myelination. Compression can lead to motor
weakness and proprioceptive deficits.
 A (β)\beta fibers: Similarly susceptible to
pressure, with loss of touch and pressure
sensations occurring early.
 A (γ)\gammaγ fibers: Moderately affected by
pressure due to their smaller size compared to
Aα\alphaα and Aβ\betaβ fibers.
 A (δ)\delta fibers: Less affected by pressure
compared to larger myelinated fibers but more so
than unmyelinated fibers.
 B fibers: Moderately susceptible to pressure.
Autonomic dysfunction can result from prolonged
pressure.
 C fibers: Least susceptible to pressure due to
their small diameter and lack of myelination.
These fibers are the most resistant to
compression.

Susceptibility to Local Anesthetics

Local anesthetics block nerve conduction by inhibiting

sodium channels, and their effectiveness varies with
fiber size and myelination.

 A (α)\alpha fibers: Relatively resistant to local

anesthetics due to their large diameter. Higher
concentrations or prolonged exposure is required
to achieve a block.
 A (β)\beta fibers: Moderately susceptible to
local anesthetics. Loss of touch and pressure
sensation can be achieved at typical anesthetic
concentrations.
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 A (γ)\gamma fibers: Moderately affected, with

motor control of muscle spindles being
compromised at standard anesthetic doses.
 A (δ)\delta fibers: Highly susceptible to local
anesthetics. Pain and temperature sensations are
among the first to be blocked.
 B fibers: Highly susceptible due to their small
diameter and myelination. Autonomic functions
are readily affected.
 C fibers: Most susceptible to local anesthetics.
Despite being unmyelinated, their small size and
high surface-area-to-volume ratio make them
easy to block, resulting in the loss of dull pain and
temperature sensations early.

FIBRE TYPE SUSCEPTIBILIT SUSCEPTIBILIT SUSCEPTIBILIT

Y TO HYPOXIA Y TO Y TO LOCAL
PRESSURE PRESSURE
Aα High High Low
Aβ High High Moderate
Aγ Moderate Moderate Moderate
Aδ Low Low High
B Moderate Moderate High
C Low Low Very high

DEGREE OF MYELINATION
Nerve fibres are classified into two types based on
presence of myelin sheath;
 Myelinated
 Non-myelinated
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MYELINATED NERVE FIBRE

The myelinated nerve fibres are not covered by a
myelin sheath.

NON-MYELINATED NERVE FIBRE

The non-myelinated nerve fibres are covered by a
myelin sheath.

BASIS OF MYELINATED NON-MYELINATED

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COMPARISON NERVE FIBRES NERVE FIBRES

Description Myelinated Nerve Unmyelinated Nerve
Fibers are nerve fibers are nerve
fibers that are fibers that do not
insulated by a myelin have a myelin
sheath. sheath.

Colour The myelinated The unmyelinated

nerve fibers are nerve fibers are gray
white in color. in color.

Nodes of Ranvier The myelinated Unmyelinated nerve

nerve fibers have fibers do not have
nodes of Ranvier. nodes of Ranvier.

Speed of Due to presence of Unmyelinated nerve

Transmission nodes of Ranvier on fibers do not have
myelinated nerve myelin insulations,
fibers, the speed of and therefore, the
transmission of nerve speed of the
impulses is high in transmission of the
myelinated nerve nerve impulses is
fibers. low.

Locatipn Most neurons in the Unmyelinated

central and neurons can be found
peripheral nervous in both the peripheral
system are and central nervous
myelinated because system in the group c
they require fast nerve fibers,
conduction speed responsible for
such as neuron transmission of
involved in spinal secondary pain or
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reflexes. itch.

Impulse Conduction Due to presence of Unmyelinated nerve

myelin sheath, fibers can lose the
myelinated nerves do nerve impulse during
not lose the impulse conduction.
during conduction

Axons The nerve fibers with The short axon nerve

long axons are fibers are
myelinated. unmyelinated.

REFRENCES
 Classification of nerve fibres By Zeeshan Mahmood
GMC Shahdol
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axon
 Google images
 Classification of nerve fibres; properties of mixed
nerves by Dr Rekha Prabhu