Chapter 5 Nervous, Muscular, and Skeletal Systems Flashcards
Central Nervous System (CNS)
consists of brain and spinal cord, primary function is to coordinate the activity of all parts of the body
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
consists of nerves that connect the CNS to the rest of the body and the external environment
Afferent pathway
sensory pathway
Efferent pathway
motor pathway
Mechanoreceptors
a sensory receptor: respond to mechanical forces (touch & pressure) within tissues and then transmit signals through sensory nerves
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
supplies neural input to organs that run the involuntary processes of the bodyS
Sympathetic Nervous System
works to increase neural activity and put the body in a heightened state
Parasympathetic nervous system
works to decrease neural activity and put the body in a more relaxed state
Proprioception
the bodies ability to naturally sense its general orientation and relative position of its parts
Muscle spindles
sensory receptors sensitive to change in length of the muscle and the rate of that change
Goli tendon organ (GTO)
specialized sensory receptor located at the point where skeletal muscle fibers insert into the tendons of skeletal muscle
Neuroplasticity
concept that the brain will continually change/grow, reforming neural pathways throughout an individual’s entire life span
Neurocircuitry
the interconnection of neurons in the brain and spinal cord
Axial skeleton
made of the skull, rib cage, and vertebral column
