Test 5 Flashcards
upper motor nuerons
-cerebral cortex and branstem
-can only connect to muscle through lower motor neurons (which are directly connected to muscle)
Lower motor neurons
-ventral horn of spinal cord
-Direct connection to muscle
-axons exiton ventral root
-exit ventrally and join sensory fibers in spinal nerve (31 pairs classified into 4 segments (CTLSc)
lower motor neurons can receive input from:
-upper motor neurons
-interneurons in spinal cord
-sensory input
distribution of motor neurons in the spinla cord
not an even distribution
-cervical enlargment (C3-T1)
-Lumbar enlargement (L1-S3)
These areas contain most of the motor neurons for distal and proximal muscles
how are motor neurons in the spinal cord organized
organized at leavh level by area and function of the muscle they innervate
therefore, generally:
-Axial muscles more meidal than distal muscles
-Flexore more posterior to extensors
What are the 2 primry types of lower motor neurons
alph motor neurons and gamma motor neurons
alpha motor neurons
directly trigger the contraction of muscles for movement
gamma motor neurons
regulate muscle tone and control sensitivity of muscle spindles
Alpha motor neurons: motor unit
motor neuron and all the fibers it innervates
alpha motor neurons: motor neuron pool
All the alpha motor neurons that innervate a single muscle
excitation contraction coupling
-Alpha motor nueron release ACh
-ACh produces large EPSP in muscle fiber (graded potential)
-EPSP evokes muscle action potential
-AP triggers Ca2+ release from SR
-Fiber contracts (sliding filament model)
-Ca2+ reuptake
-Fiber relaxes
sliding filament model of contraction
Ca2+ binding to troponin allows myosin heads to bind to actin-myosin heads then pivot, causing filament to slide.
fundemental properties of contraction: force length relationship
-describe the relationship of isometric msucle fiber forces with its length (amount of stretch on non moving muscle)
-goldilocks zone for maximum number of cross bridges (not too short, not too long)
but most movement is not isometric…
fundemental properties of contraction: force velocity relationship
fore output changes based on the speed it shortens (or lengthnens)
= dont need “recocked’ and attatched more often in a powerful position. Also can utilize elastic properties
=more difficult for corss bridges to cycle and they spend more time near end of power stroke
Titin
“spring” on end of myosin filament (very small- can’t see it even with a microscope- have proven its existance theoretically)
provides elastic compoent in muscle fibers
-titin is the main source of passive force in a single fiber
-minimal source of passive force in complete muscle (tendon acts as main source)
residual force enhancement
possible thanks to titin
-when an active muscle is stretched its isometric, steady-state force following the stretch os greater than the corresponding (same length, same activation) purely isometric contraction.
(stay activated throughout lengthening allowa greater force development?
-titin when relax get passive stretch-deosn’t impact subsequent force (loose pring) when 1s contract and keep contrated and stretch, change property of the spring- may bind to things and stiffen- much more forceful-produces extra force due to tighter spring.
Titin-residual froce development
-titin appears to be an adjustable (tight vs loose0 spring which plays an important role in residual force enhancement
-muscle activation can lead to a change in stiffness and length in of this spring
so… titin can help increase force (+efficiency) in movements that involve activated/stretching muscles
EMG
-The quantification of a muscle(s) electrical activity (sum of action potentials)
-bipolar electrodie configuration to record the dofference in elcetrical activity
-eg V1-V2
Application of EMG
-Linear relationship to muscle force and activation in isomectric contractions
-Provides amplitude of mucle activation (level of recruitment) ie during walking gait
-Provides time of activation (activation pattern) ie during walking gait
-fatigue and advance analyses
EMG limitations
-not a direct relationship to muscle force (espceially during motion)- force length and force velocity relationship can mess things up
-sensitive in differences in placment/processing
-surface EMG: cross talk between muscles, recording through skin/adipose- especially in regions like the forearm (lots of little muscle very close together).
Proprioception- neurons
group 1 sensory neurons- can be further subdivided into 1a and 1b axons
Proprioception: 1a axons
-Largest and fastest (myelinated)
-Excitatory synapes with spinal interneurons and directly on alpha motor neurons
-muscle spindles (mount of stretch)
Proprioception: 1b axons
-slightly smaller/slower
-inhibitory synpases with spinal intreneruons
-Golgi tendon organ (amount of force)
Muscle spindles
Sensory receptor- forst thought to be a ‘muscle bud”
Sits within a muscle to measure the change in length
-Small intrafusal muscle fibers (collect info)
-Parellel to primary muscle fibers (extrafusal)
-Wrapped within a sensory neurom (1a)
the stretch refelc (myotatic reflex)
when a uscle is pulled (stretched), it pulls back (contracts)
-reists changes in muscle length
-important for maintaining limb position or posture
myosynpatic stretch reflex
-primary sensory neuron (1a-muscle spindle)
-primary motor nueron (alpha motor neuron)- reflexive
how could be confirm the function of this sensory neuron/structure?
the stretch reflex (myotatic reflex)
i) Muscle is stretched (extrafusal and intrafusal)
ii) Ia depolarizes from stretch
iii) Action potential propogrates along axon through dorsal root
iv) Synapses with alpha motor nueron
V) alpha motor neuron sends action potential to contract muscle
How muscle spindles stay response to stretch?
Intrafusal fibers need the ability to contract, just like extrafusal fibers (or else get slack in the line)
Gamma motor nuerons receive input from brain to keep intrafusal fiber taut
Fine tuning muscle length with the gamma loop
- Descending command from brain sets first estimate (how much activation is needed to do something)
-Coactivation of both alpha and gamma motor neruons (tuning for the inital guess) - Muscle spindle detects muscle is too long
3.Ia axons send signal to alpha motor neuron - Alpha motor nueron activate extrafusal fibers to shorten muscle
Gamma Bias
-Constant activity to keep intrafusal fiber taught
-Firing rate increases or decreases to compensate for changes in exrrafusal fiber length
Fusimotor gain
-Ability of the nervous system to adjust/tine tune the sensitivity to small changes
-How can we improve fusimotor gain? Plyometrics (reacting quickly), balance training
Gamma (motor) loop
The loop between the muscle spindle (sensory fiber + gamma motor neruon) and muscle (alpha motor neuron)
Gamma bias
Base level of firing for the inrefusal fibers to keep sensor online
Fusimotor gain
Ramping up/fine tuning the sensitivity of this loop to identify small changes
fusimotr gain example
ability of the body to adapt to small changes- balance
-so balance training can help increase the sensitivity, meaning we can quickly/easily react to small changes – stretch reflex allows contraction to get us back straight after a deviation
-improved fusimotor gain allows our system to be sensitive to small changes–> leading to small, efficient and accurate postural corrections