Key Terms
Module 7.1
Aerobic: Referring to processes that require oxygen.
Anaerobic: Relating to processes that do not require oxygen.
Antagonistic: Pertaining to muscles that work against each other to produce movement.
Muscles: Tissues in the body that can contract to produce movement.
Ballistic: A type of movement that is quick and powerful, often involving a fast release of energy.
Movement: The act or process of changing position or location.
Cardiac muscles: Muscles that make up the heart, responsible for pumping blood.
Central pattern generators: Network of neurons that manage rhythmic movements, such as walking.
Extensor: Muscle that extends or straightens a limb.
Golgi tendon organs: Sensory receptors that detect tension in muscles.
Flexor: Muscle that bends or decreases the angle between body parts.
Fast-twitch fibers: Muscle fibers that contract quickly and are used for short bursts of speed.
Motor program: A set of commands sent from the brain to execute a movement.
Muscle spindle: A sensory receptor located in muscles that detects changes in muscle length.
Neuromuscular junction: The synapse or connection between a motor neuron and a muscle fiber.
Proprioceptor: Sensory receptor that receives stimuli from within the body, mainly related to position and movement.
Reflexes: Automatic responses to stimuli.
Skeletal (striated) muscles: Muscles attached to bones that facilitate movement.
Slow-twitch fibers: Muscle fibers that are more fatigue-resistant and used for endurance activities.
Smooth muscles: Involuntary muscles found in organs that are not under conscious control.
Stretch reflex: An automatic muscular response to being stretched.
Module 7.2
antisaccade task: A task that measures the ability to inhibit a reflexive eye movement in response to a stimulus.
basal ganglia: A group of nuclei in the brain involved in coordinating movement and cognitive processes.
cerebellar nuclei: Clusters of neurons located in the cerebellum that play a key role in the coordination of movement.
corticospinal tracts: Neural pathways that transmit signals from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord, controlling voluntary movements.
lateral corticospinal tract: The major pathway for voluntary motor control, primarily responsible for fine motor skills in limbs.
medial corticospinal tract: A pathway involved in controlling postural and trunk movements.
mirror neurons: Neurons that fire when an individual observes an action performed by another, thought to be involved in understanding intentions and social interactions.
parallel fibers: Axons that run parallel to each other in the cerebellum, playing a crucial role in cerebellar processing.
posterior parietal cortex: A part of the brain that integrates sensory information and helps in spatial awareness and movement planning.
prefrontal cortex: The region of the frontal lobe associated with complex cognitive behavior, decision making, and moderating social behavior.
premotor cortex: An area of the brain responsible for planning and coordinating movements before they are executed.
primary motor cortex: The section of the brain that directly controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.
Purkinje cells: GABAergic neurons found in the cerebellum, which act to inhibit and modulate the activity of other neurons within cerebellar circuits.
readiness potential: A measure of brain activity that precedes voluntary movement, indicating preparation for action.
red nucleus: A structure in the midbrain involved in motor coordination and the control of limb movements.
striatum or dorsal striatum: A component of the basal ganglia involved in the regulation of movement and a variety of cognitive functions.
supplementary motor cortex: An area of the brain involved in the planning of movements and coordination of complex movements.
Module 7.3
huntingtin: A protein that is produced by the HTT gene, mutations in which cause Huntington's disease.
Huntington's disease: A genetic disorder characterized by the degeneration of neurons in certain areas of the brain, leading to motor dysfunction, cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms.
L-dopa: A medication used to treat Parkinson's disease, it is a precursor to dopamine that helps improve motor symptoms by replenishing dopamine levels in the brain.
MPP+: A neurotoxin derived from MPTP that selectively damages dopaminergic neurons and is used in research to model Parkinson's disease in animals.
MPTP: A synthetic compound that causes Parkinson-like symptoms by inducing the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra when metabolized into MPP+.
Parkinson's disease: A neurodegenerative disorder that primarily affects movement, causing tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia due to the loss of dopamine-producing neurons.
stem cells: Undifferentiated cells that have the potential to develop into various cell types, including neurons, and are being researched for their potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.