Behavioral Neuroscience Exam 3

acetylcholine

a neurotransmitter that is released by alpha motor neurons, and which binds to receptors on muscle fibers

alien hand syndrome

a strange disorder in which the hand contralateral to the brain damage makes movements that are not consciously intended

alpha motor neurons

neurons originating in the spinal cord or brainstem that send motor commands to skeletal muscles

antagonistic muscles

muscles that cause movement in opposite directions when they contract

brain machine interface

the use of neural signals to control artificial devices

catalepsy

muscle rigidity

central pattern generators

sets of neurons located in both the spinal cord and the brain stem that control repetitive behaviors such as walking, chewing, breathing

cervical spinal cord

the topmost division of the spinal cord

climbing fibers

a major source of input to the cerebellum comes from the ______ fibers, which appear to “climb up” Purkinje cells like a vine climbs up a tree trunk

contralateral

opposite side

corticobulbar neurons

_______ neurons communicate with alpha motor neurons to control face muscles and some muscles in the neck

corticospinal neurons

neurons in the primary motor cortex that send commands to spinal cord motor neurons

cranial nerves

nerves that allow communication directly between the brain and periphery of the body, bypassing the spinal cord

deep cerebellar nuclei

the final output neurons of the cerebellum

dorsal premotor area

a cortical area with neurons that become active as you prepare to perform a movement

extension

the movement produced when a muscle contraction causes two bones ot move further apart

extensor muscle

a muscle that causes extension of a limb when it contracts

flexion

the movement produced when a muscle contraction causes two bones to move closer together

flexor muscles

a muscle that causes flexion of a limb when it contracts

frontal eye fields

a small region in the prefrontal cortex that generates visual saccades

gait

one’s manner of walking

globus pallidus

a region of the basal ganglia that sends output to the thalamus

golgi tendon organs

located in the tendons, they inform the nervous system about muscle and tendon tensions

granule cells

cells in the cerebellum that receive input from the mossy fibers

inferior parietal lobe

the ______ parietal lobe plays a role in the desire to move body parts

ipsilateral

same side

lateral striatum

a region of the striatum that plays an important role in automatized behavior

levodopa (L-DOPA)

a drug that elevates dopamine levels, and temporarily restores lost movement abilities in persons with Parkinsons disease

local spinal cord neurons

neurons with cell bodies and axons located within the spinal cord

lower

alpha motor neurons are also called _____ motor neurons

mirror neurons

neurons that become activated while a subject performs an action, and when the subject observes someone else performing the same action

mossy fibers

most of the input to the cerebellum comes from _____ fibers, axons that carry information about movement plans as well as sensory information

muscle fibers

the thread like cells that make up each muscle

muscle spindles

a special sensory receptor cell found within muscles, which inform the nervous system about changes in the length of the muscle

neuromuscular junction

on the synapse between an alpha motor neuron and muscle fiber

nicotine fibers

the type of acetylcholine receptors found on muscle fiber

nigrostriatal dopamine neurons

neurons that originate in the substantia nigra and release dopamine to the striatum

paraplegia

loss of control of leg movements while maintaining control of the arms

precentral gyrus

gyrus in the frontal lobe that contains the primary motor cortex

prefrontal cortex

the most anterior portion of the frontal lobe

premotor areas

a collection of frontal lobe areas that send information to the primary motor cortex, often as a movement is being prepared

primary motor cortex

a region of the frontal cortex that sends motor commands directly to the spinal cord

primary somatosensory cortex

the area that first receives touch information in the parietal lobe

Purkinje cells

cells in the cerebellum that receives information both about your motor plans and about sensory results of your movements

pyramidal

the fifth layer of the cerebral cortex contains the corticospinal neurons. these neurons are also called _____ neurons because their cell bodies are shaped like pyramids

quadriplegia

loss of control of all four limbs

sacral spinal cord

the bottommost division of the spinal cord containing cell bodies of motor neurons that target muscles in the back of the foot

skeletal muscle

muscles that move the bones

smooth muscle

muscles in the internal organs

somatotopic organizaiton

anatomical arrangement in which different regions within the brain area correspond to different parts of the body

striated muscle

skeletal muscle and other muscle that appears striped when viewed under a microscope

striatum

the region of the basal ganglia that receives information from virtually all areas of the cerebral cortex

substantia nigra

the location of dopamine neuron cell bodies that send axon terminals to the striatum

supplementary motor area

a premotor area that becomes active during the conscious desire to move

synergistic muscles

muscles that work together to perform a movement

tendon

fibrous tissue that connects muscles to bones

tremor

a rhythmic shaking movement of a body part

upper motor neurons

corticospinal and corticobulbar neurons are referred to as ____ motor neurons

utilization behavior

a behavioral abnormality in which patients are unable to resist the impulse to use an object that has been placed within reach even when the object is not needed

ventral horn

alpha motor neurons exit the _____ horn to reach their target muscles

visual saccades

quick simultaneous movements of both eyes in the same direction toward a visual object

visuomotor neurons

neurons that translate visual information about an object into appropriate actions