MUSCLE MOVEMENTS & NERVOUS SYSTEM ORGANIZATION

Origin

Muscle attachment that is generally less movable during contraction.

Insertion

Muscle attachment that is generally more movable during contraction.

Agonist (prime mover)

Muscle primarily responsible for producing a movement.

Antagonist

Muscle that opposes or controls the action of an agonist.

Synergist

Muscle that assists another muscle in producing movement.

Fixator

Muscle that stabilizes a bone or joint so another muscle can act effectively.

Central nervous system (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord that process and integrate information.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Nervous tissue outside the CNS that connects it to the rest of the body.

Afferent division

Carries sensory information toward the CNS.

Efferent division

Carries motor commands away from the CNS.

Sensory receptor

Structure that detects a stimulus and initiates sensory signaling.

Effector

Muscle or gland that responds to a motor command.

Somatic nervous system

Motor division that controls skeletal muscle.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Motor division that regulates smooth muscle

Sympathetic nervous system

Autonomic division that prepares the body for activity or stress.

Parasympathetic nervous system

Autonomic division associated with rest and routine body maintenance.

Integration

Processing sensory information in the CNS to determine an appropriate response.

Typical neural pathway

Receptor detects a stimulus

Nervous System