exam 2 motor control

Neuroplasticity is changes in neural pathways and synapses caused by changes in

behavior, the environment, and neurological injury

The increase in ca causes other biochemical reactions to occur to increase the excitability of the synapse

Long term potentiation (LTP)

What is java therapy?

web-based home therapy. provides quantitative feedback of movement performance

What evidence do we have for neuroplasticity?

brain imaging studies and transcranial magnetic stimulation

Reaction time + movement time =

response time

How do we study information processing in the CNS?

design experiments that are dependent on different phases of information processing

What three ways can we improve stimulus identification?

stimulus clarity, modality, and intensity

Where is the “pre-motor” signal located?

between the “go” signal and the initiation of muscle activity

Reaction time (RT) decreases as relationship between stimulus and response improves. what is this known as?

stimulus response compatibility

What is the difference between a monosynaptic and polysynaptic reflex?

mono cannot override, poly can override

what is a noxious stimuli?

a stimulus that threatens the body (or integrity of the body)

Proprioception gives us three important pieces of information including:

sense of limb movement, muscle force, and limb position

what proprioceptor detects muscle length

muscle spindles

what are the 4 components of sensation?

modality, specificity, duration, and intensity

what are the three types of movement?

reflexive, voluntary, and rhythmic

what’s an example or situation where “response programming” might increase reaction time?

if you want to execute a complex, multi-joint movement= takes longer to plan and program

What does the primary motor cortex do before sending motor signal to the spinal cord?

fine tunes force production and movement direction

what is a motor unit? how are they recruited?

where an alpha motor neuron and muscle fibers innervate- recruited smallest to largest (henneman’s size principle”

How can the nervous system increase force production?

increase motor unit recruitment and increase fire frequency of AP (rate coding)

What is a tetanus?

summation of muscle twitches with no relaxation between the action potentials

what are the two possibilities for motor adaptation?

feedforward control and impedance control

What are the three types of control for movement?

feed forward, feedback, and impedance control

creating an internal model or a prediction or muscle forces and movement is part of what type of control?

feedforward control

this type of control occurs during the actual movement and reacts to what has just happened

feedback control

what type of control is known as open looped?

feedforward control

Hick’s law states:

as the number of choices increases, the time it takes to make a decision also increases

What is CTE? what is a common symptom? how many stages? how is it diagnosed?

progressive brain disease from repeated brain injuries or TBI, 4 stages, post-mortem

what is the highest level of control for voluntary movement?

cerebral cortex

why aren’t motor units activated all at the same time?

energy inefficient- do not need all recruited for low level force activities or movements