task 5 more info Flashcards
what is a reflex?
a basic unit of behaviour. A simple unlearned response to a particular stimulus
what is a motor plan or motor program?
a complex set of commands to muscles that is established before the behavior starts. A plan of action in the nervous system
how can motor behavior be analyzed?
with videos or EMG5electromyography looking at the eletrical activity of the muscles)
what is a stretch reflex?
the contraction of a muscle in response to a stretch of that muscle, it is monosynaptic meaning that involves transmission of infromation from a sensory neuron to the appropriate motor neuron across a single synapse in the spinal cord. it does not go to the brain
what is a withdrawal reflex?
the contraction of a muscle when a painful stimulus is encountered it is NOT monosynaptic and it takes longer because interneurons are involved. it does not go to the brain either
wgat are the two mechanisms that regulate and control our movements?
closed loop mechanism and open loop mechanism
what is a closed loop mechanism?
contrl mechanism that transport information from what is being controlled to the device that controls it. Maximize accuracy (prevent or minimize error)
what is an open looped mechanism?
control mechanisl that does not give feeback because has to respond as fast as possible. Maximize speed
what is a ballistic moivement?
rapid muscular movement that is generally preprogrammed
who dtermines which movements are possible?
the skeletal system
who controls actions of the skeletal system?
muscles
what is a smooth muscle?
a type of muscle fiber as in the heart tha is controlled by the autonomic nervous system rather than by voluntary control
what are tendons?
strong tissue that connects muscle to bone
what are antagonist muscles?
a muscle that counteracts the effect of another muscle
what are synergists?
a muscle that acts together with another muscle
what is a motor neuron?
neuronn in the brain or spinal cord that transmits messages to a muscle
fucntion of the spinal cord?
control skeletal muscles in response to sensory information, also implements motor commands from the brain
function of brain stem?
integrates motor commands from higher levels of the brain and transmits them to the spinal cord it also relays sensory information about the body from the spinal cord to the forebrain
what role does the posterior parietal cortex play?
directing behavior by providing spatial information and in directing attention it receives inpur from more than one sensory input(visual,auditory and somatosensory system)
wha could cause damages to the posterior parietal cortex?
apraxia and contralateral neglect
where does most of the output achieved by the posterior parietal cortex go?
to the dorsolteral prefrontal association cortex
who is the dorsolateral prefrontal association cortex connected to?
it communicqtes with secondary and primary motor cortex as well as to the frontal eyelid
what role does the dorsolateral prefrontal association cortex play?
identifying and responding to objectds initiating voluntary movements as well
what is the central pattern generator?
neural circuitry that is responsible for generating rhytmic patter of a behavior such as walkinng
what is reciprocal innnervation?
antagonistic muscles are innervated in a way that permits a smooth unimpeded motor response meaning that when one contracts the other relxes
what is flaccid paralysis?
it generally results just when considerable length of the spinal cord has been destroyed. it is a loss of reflexes below the level of transaction of the spinal cord
what are polioviruses?
a class of viruses that destroy motor neurons and their target muscles waste away
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
a disease in which motor neurons and their target muscles waste away
what is the pyramidal system?
consists of neuronal cell bodies within the cerebral cortex and their axons which pass through the brain stem forming the pyramidal tract to the spinal cord
what is the primary motor cortex?
consists mainky in the precentral gyrus
what is a motor homunculus?
the ugly thing that represents the primary motor cortex and regions controlled by it
what is the non primary motor cortex
cortical regions also important for motor control connecting with both the primary motor nd the other inferior parts of the brain such as bri stem or cerebellul
what is the SMA?
the supplementary motor area theres also a preSMA and supplementary eyefield
what is the premotor cortex ( dorsal and ventral)
a region of no primary motor cortex just anterior to the primary motor cortex that is activated when motor seauences are guideed by external stimuli
cerebellum?
affects programs coordination and learning of acts guides movement by inhibiting neurons at the Purkinje cells that synapse with the deep cerebellar nuclei controls skilled movements particularly fast and repeated so that become automatic
what is a mirror neuron?
a neuron that s activated when both an individual makes a particular movement or when that indvidual sees another individual make the same movement
where are mirror neurons located at?
theyre in frontal and parietal cortex
what may a mirror neuron suggest?
a neural basis for sympathy
