Chapter 7 - Jacey Flashcards
even the simplest movement requires your brain to:
do lots of things
true or false? neuroscientists know there are little areas of the brain that are involved in movement.
FALSE, MANY AREAS ARE INVOLVED IN MVT.
what is at the lowest extreme of the motor hierarchy?
motor neurons in the spinal chord.
the _______ _______ of the axons of each motor neuron form specialized neuromuscular junctions.
terminal branches
Each _____ _____ in a motor neuron causes the release of neurotransmitter from nerve endings and generates a corresponding action potential in the muscle fibres.
action potential
what causes Ca2+ ions to be released from intracellular stores inside each muscle fibre?
the release of neurotransmitters
what triggers muscle fibre contraction?
Ca2+ ions being released.
true or false? the spinal cord plays an important part in muscle control thru several reflex pathways.
true
name a withdrawal reflex:
knee-jerk
the knee-jerk is an example of a _____ ______
stretch reflex
motor neurons are the _____ ______ ______ to the muscles that move your bones.
final common path
what is the the top of the hierarchy for mvt?
the motor cortex
where is the motor cortex situated?
cerebral cortex
name the parts of the brain that control movement:
cerebellum, basal ganglia, motor cortex, premotor cortex, parietal cortex.
The motor cortex is a thin strip of tissue across the surface of the brain, directly in front of the ____________ cortex
somatosensory cortex
when is a population code used?
when actions are specified by the firing of an ensemble of neurons
Just in front of the motor cortex lies the important ___-_____ _____ that are involved in planning actions
pre-motor areas
where is the parietal cortex located?
behind the motor cortex
Mirror neurons are likely to be _____ in imitating and understanding actions.
important
parietal neglect fails to…
notice objects (often on left side)
what is the basal ganglia?
cluster of interconnected areas located beneath the cortex in the depths of the cerebral hemispheres.
name a common motor disorder:
Parkinson’s disease
name two characteristics of Parkinson’s disease:
tremor and movement initiation difficulty
the degeneration of neurons in the substantia nigra whose long axons release the neurotransmitter dopamine into the _____ _______
basal ganglia
the basal ganglia is thought to be important in ________
learning
the cerebellum is crucial for:
smooth skillful movements, motor learning and adaptation
what happens when the cerebellum is damaged?
slurred speech, poorly coordinated movement, loss of balance.
