Neuromuscular control Flashcards
What is the nervous system?
The nervous system is a series of wires that connect the brain to the body.
What are sensory neurones?
Sensory neurones carry information from the receptors to the brain and allow the brain to understand internal mechanism and external stimuli (senses).
What are motor neurones?
Motor neurones carry signals from the brain to the muscles and initiate movement as long as the signal is strong enough.
What are the four receptors?
Mechanoreceptors - respond to movement
Chemoreceptors - respond to acidity changes
Thermoreceptors - respond to temperature changes
Photoreceptors - respond to light changes
What is the neuromuscular process of contraction?
Sensory neurones carry signals from things that affect our senses to the brain. Moto neurones send signals from the brain to the muscles to cause an action. - this is called action potential.
At the end of each motor neurone, there is a structure called the neuromuscular junction and this is where the nerve attaches to the muscle fibres. The muscles can only contract if it receives a strong enough action potential, this is known as the all or none law.
How does the neuromuscular junction trigger muscle contraction?
The action potential triggers a release of calcium and this causes the acetylcholine to travel across the synaptic cleft to the receptors in the post synaptic neuron. Once the post synaptic neuron receives the acetylcholine, more calcium is released into the muscle fibres which causes muscle contraction. Once the action potential is over, the acetylcholine is reabsorbed into the presynaptic terminal to be used again.
