Saltatory

Saltatory is an adjective meaning relating to leaping or characterized by leaps. The term derives from Latin saltare, “to jump,” and is used in various fields to describe sudden or intermittent movement or action.

In neuroscience, saltatory conduction describes the rapid propagation of action potentials along myelinated axons. Rather than depolarizing the entire axon continuously, the electrical signal appears to jump from one node of Ranvier to the next. This saltatory mechanism is enabled by the insulating myelin sheath, produced by oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system and Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, which accelerates conduction velocity and reduces energy cost by limiting ion exchange to the nodes. Nodes of Ranvier are rich in voltage-gated sodium channels, allowing rapid depolarization at discrete points.

Disruptions to saltatory conduction occur in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, where loss of myelin slows or blocks signal transmission and can lead to a range of neurological symptoms. Understanding saltatory conduction helps explain why myelination is critical for fast and efficient nerve signaling.

Outside neuroscience, saltatory can describe movements or events that occur in leaps rather than smoothly or continuously. For example, a saltatory gait or a saltatory sequence refers to abrupt, jump-like steps or phases. In broader usage, the term can convey any process that unfolds in discrete, rapid leaps rather than gradual progression.