CH 5 The Nervous, Muscular and Skeletal Systems Flashcards
Human movement system (HMS)
The collective components and structures that work together to move the body: muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems.
Kinetic chain
A concept that describes the human body as a chain of interdependent links that work together to perform movement.
Nervous system
A network of specialized cells called neurons that transmit and coordinate signals, providing a communication network within the human body.
Neuron
Specialized cell that is the functional unit of the nervous system.
Nucleus
Cellular structure or organelle that contains the majority of the cell’s genetic material in the form of chromosomes.
Organelles
Tiny cellular structures that perform specific functions within a cell. Examples include nuclei, mitochondria, lysosomes, ribosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum
Mitochondria
The parts of the cell that use nutrients to create energy for the cell; commonly known as the powerhouses of the cell.
Effector sites
A part of the body, such as a muscle or organ, that receives a signal from a neuron to produce a physiological response.
Electrolytes
Minerals that have an electrical charge to help transmit nerve impulses throughout the body, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Central nervous system (CNS)
A division of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Nerves that connect the rest of the body to the central nervous system.
Afferent pathway
Sensory pathway that relays information to the central nervous system.
Efferent pathway
A motor pathway that relays information from the central nervous system to the rest of the body.
Interneurons
Neurons located within the spinal cord and brain that transmit impulses between afferent and efferent neurons.
Mechanoreceptors
Specialized structures that respond to mechanical forces (touch and pressure) within tissues and then transmit signals through sensory nerves.
Sensory receptors
are specialized structures located throughout the body that convert environmental stimuli (heat, light, sound, taste, motion) into sensory information that the brain and spinal cord use to produce a response
Mechanoreceptors
respond to mechanical forces (touch and pressure),
nociceptors
respond to pain (pain receptors),
chemoreceptors
respond to chemical interaction (smell and taste),
photoreceptors
respond to light (vision)
Somatic nervous system
Nerves that serve the outer areas of the body and skeletal muscle and are largely responsible for the voluntary control of movement.
Autonomic nervous system
A division of the peripheral nervous system that supplies neural input to organs that run the involuntary processes of the body (e.g., circulating blood, digesting food, producing hormones).
Sympathetic nervous system
Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that works to increase neural activity and put the body in a heightened state.
Parasympathetic nervous system
Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that works to decrease neural activity and put the body in a more relaxed state.
Sensory function
Ability of the nervous system to sense changes in either the internal or external environment.
Proprioception
The body’s ability to naturally sense its general orientation and relative position of its parts.
Integrative function
The ability of the nervous system to analyze and interpret the sensory information to allow for proper decision-making, which produces an appropriate response.
Motor function
The neuromuscular (or nervous and muscular systems) response to the integrated sensory information.
Muscle spindles
Sensory receptors sensitive to change in length of the muscle and the rate of that change.
Stretch reflex
Neurological signal from the muscle spindle that causes a muscle to contract to prevent excessive lengthening.
Golgi tendon organ (GTO)
A specialized sensory receptor located at the point where skeletal muscle fibers insert into the tendons of skeletal muscle; sensitive to changes in muscular tension and rate of tension change.
Joint receptors
Receptors located in and around the joint capsule that respond to pressure, acceleration, and deceleration of the joint.
Neuroplasticity
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The concept that the brain will continually change or grow, reforming neural pathways throughout an individual’s entire life span.
Neurocircuitry
The interconnection of neurons in the brain and spinal cord
Axial skeleton
A division of the skeletal system consisting of the skull, the rib cage, and the vertebral column.
Appendicular skeleton
A division of the skeletal system consisting of the arms, legs, and pelvic girdle.
Levers
Rigid rods where muscles attach.
Remodeling
The process by which bone is constantly renewed by the resorption and formation of the bone structure.
Osteoclasts
Special cells that break down and remove old bone
Special cells that break down and remove old bone tissue.
Osteoblasts
Special cells that form and lay down new bone tissue.