NASM CPT Chapter 5: Nervous System Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from NASM CPT Chapter 5: Nervous System.

Human movement system (HMS)

The collective components and structures that work together to move the body: muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems.

Kinetic chain

A concept that describes the human body as a chain of interdependent links that work together to perform movement.

Nervous system

A network of specialized cells called neurons that transmit and coordinate signals, providing a communication network within the human body.

Neuron

Specialized cell that is the functional unit of the nervous system.

Nucleus

Cellular structure or organelle that contains the majority of the cell's genetic material in the form of chromosomes.

Organelles

Tiny cellular structures that perform specific functions within a cell. Examples include nuclei, mitochondria, lysosomes, ribosomes, and the endoplasmic reticulum.

Mitochondria

The parts of the cell that use nutrients to create energy for the cell; commonly known as the powerhouses of the cell.

Effector sites

A part of the body, such as a muscle or organ, that receives a signal from a neuron to produce a physiological response.

Electrolytes

Minerals that have an electrical charge to help transmit nerve impulses throughout the body, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Central nervous system (CNS)

A division of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Nerves that connect the rest of the body to the central nervous system.

Afferent pathway

Sensory pathway that relays information to the central nervous system.

Efferent pathway

A motor pathway that relays information from the central nervous system to the rest of the body.

Interneurons

Neurons located within the spinal cord and brain that transmit impulses between afferent and efferent neurons.

Mechanoreceptors

Specialized structures that respond to mechanical forces (touch and pressure) within tissues and then transmit signals through sensory nerves.

Somatic nervous system

Nerves that serve the outer areas of the body and skeletal muscle and are largely responsible for the voluntary control of movement.

Autonomic nervous system

A division of the peripheral nervous system that supplies neural input to organs that run the involuntary processes of the body (e.g., circulating blood, digesting food, producing hormones).

Sympathetic nervous system

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that works to increase neural activity and put the body in a heightened state.

Parasympathetic nervous system

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system that works to decrease neural activity and put the body in a more relaxed state.

Sensory function

Ability of the nervous system to sense changes in either the internal or external environment.

Proprioception

The body's ability to naturally sense its general orientation and relative position of its parts.

Integrative function

The ability of the nervous system to analyze and interpret the sensory information to allow for proper decision-making, which produces an appropriate response.

Motor function

The neuromuscular (or nervous and muscular systems) response to the integrated sensory information.

Muscle spindles

Sensory receptors sensitive to change in length of the muscle and the rate of that change.

Stretch reflex

Neurological signal from the muscle spindle that causes a muscle to contract to prevent excessive lengthening.

Golgi tendon organ (GTO)

A specialized sensory receptor located at the point where skeletal muscle fibers insert into the tendons of skeletal muscle; sensitive to changes in muscular tension and rate of tension change.

Joint receptors

Receptors located in and around the joint capsule that respond to pressure, acceleration, and deceleration of the joint.

Neuroplasticity

The concept that the brain will continually change or grow, reforming neural pathways throughout an individual's entire life span.

Neurocircuitry

The interconnection of neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

Motor skills

Specific movements through the coordinated effort of the sensory and motor subsystems.