Proprioception and Motor Units

These flashcards cover significant concepts related to proprioception, motor neurons, and muscle physiology as presented in the lecture notes.

Proprioception

The body's ability to sense its position, movement, and action.

Motor neuron

A nerve cell that transmits signals to muscle fibers to stimulate contraction.

Golgi tendon organs

Proprioceptive sensors that monitor tension in tendons, previously believed to activate only at high muscle forces.

Motor unit

The motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it innervates.

All or None Principle

In muscle physiology, this principle states that a muscle fiber contracts fully or not at all when stimulated.

Neuromuscular junction

The synapse or junction between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber.

Dendrites

Extensions of a neuron that receive signals from other neurons.

Myelin

A fatty substance that insulates nerve fibers and speeds up signal transmission.

Muscle fiber

The contractile unit of a muscle, hypothesized to be connected to motor neurons.

Patellar tendon

A tendon that connects the kneecap to the quadriceps muscle allowing knee extension.