Physiology Revision - Motor Pools and Units

Question 1

What is a Motor Pool?

Answer 1

A motor pool is all the motor neurons that innervate a single muscle

Question 2

What is a Motor Unit?

Answer 2

A motor unit is one alpha neuron (from the ventral horn) and all the muscle fibers it innervates

Question 3

What is rate coding?

Answer 3

The firing frequency or rate at which AP are discharged

Question 4

What does the stimulus intensity determine in the sensory NS?

Answer 4

The rate coding, or frequency of action potentials

Question 5

What does rate coding mean for the motor NS?

Answer 5

An increase in the rate of APs fired by the motor neuron causes an increase in the amount of force that the motor unit generates

Question 6

What is the term for maximal contraction of the muscle?

Answer 6

TETANUS contraction

• these contractions have a rate of AP firing that the muscle cannot contract any further; the f is so high that the muscle cannot relax btw APs