Final: Week 3 VOCAB Flashcards
What is the neural pathway responsible for the voluntary control of movement?
Direct motor pathway
What is the neural pathway that modulates and refines voluntary movements initiated by the direct pathway?
Indirect motor pathway
What is the functional unit of the motor system, consisting of a motor neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates?
Motor unit
What is the long, thin, tubular bundle of nerves that extends from the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column?
Spinal cord
What is the organ of the central nervous system responsible for processing sensory information and controlling behavior and movement?
Brain
What are a group of nuclei in the brain that are involved in voluntary motor control, procedural learning, and cognitive functions?
Basal ganglia (nuclei)
What is the part of the brain that plays a role in motor control, balance, coordination, and some cognitive functions?
Cerebellum
What are the neurons that originate in the motor cortex of the brain and carry motor information down to the spinal cord or brainstem?
Upper motor neurons
What are the neurons that connect the central nervous system to the muscles and are responsible for carrying motor commands to the muscles?
Lower motor neurons
What is the term for abnormally decreased reflexes?
Hyporeflexia
What is the term for abnormally increased reflexes?
Hyperreflexia
What is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness and paralysis?
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
What is the abnormal reflex response in which the big toe moves upward (extends) when the sole of the foot is stimulated, often indicating a central nervous system disorder?
Babinski sign
What is the medication used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by reducing the release of glutamate?
Riluzole
What are the structures that make up the lentiform nucleus in the basal ganglia, involved in motor control?
Globus pallidus, putamen, and caudate nucleus
What is the term for the caudate nucleus and putamen together, which form the input nucleus of the basal ganglia?
Striatum
What is the term for the globus pallidus and putamen together, which form the output nucleus of the basal ganglia?
Lenticular nucleus
What is a neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement, characterized by tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with walking and coordination?
Parkinson’s disease (PD)
What is a hereditary disorder that causes progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain, leading to uncontrolled movements, cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms?
Huntington’s disease (HD)
What is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics?
Tourette syndrome
What are disorders that affect mood, behavior, and cognition, such as depression, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia?
Psychiatric disorders
What are examples of psychiatric disorders characterized by distorted thinking, hallucinations, delusions, and/or compulsive behaviors?
Schizophrenia/OCD
What is the term for a lack of muscle coordination during voluntary movements, often affecting gait, speech, and eye movements?
Ataxia
