The Nervous System

Front 1

List anatomical parts of neuron (3):

Back 1

1) cell body- heart of the cell
2) axon- (sender) long part of the neuron, sends electric impulses away from the cell body, connects with dendrites
3) dendrites- (receiver) long hair-like on cell body, receives impulses, receives messages from other neurons and conducts them into cell body

Front 2

How long can an axon grow?

Back 2

3 feet

Front 3

What is the function of a neuron?

Back 3

the neuron carries/transmits messages, and creates neuromuscular, or neurological, pathways

Front 4

Where do messages normally get blocked/transferred?

Back 4

at the synapse (place where two neurons connect)
-synaptic gap
-->action potential

Front 5

What is synaptic fascillitation?

Back 5

the automatic selection of pre-established neurogolical pathways
ex: things you don't have to think about-->plie, pointing toes, etc.

Front 6

Sensory Afferent & Motor Efferent?

Back 6

SA- input to CNS
ME-output or response

Front 7

Identify the difference between exteroceptive and proprioceptive neurons:

Back 7

exteroceptive- sense exteral information coming from outside the body (paint, touch, tempurature..)

proprioceptive- sense information from inside the body (vestibular, muscular states...

Front 8

Cebral Cortex

Back 8

-Initiates all voluntary movement (starting stopping, direction, range...)
- blocks undesired motor pathways, fascilitates desired pathways

Front 9

Mid-Brain

Back 9

It continues a pattern once established (primitive control center)

-hypothalamus (homeostasis)
-thalamus
-basal ganglia (inhibitory)
-cerebellum (exitatory)

Front 10

Describe the similarities and differences between the cerebellum and the basal ganglia, in terms of how they work together to control movement.

Back 10

Both work via the thalamus to create smooth, automated performance. Basal ganglia is inhibitory though, and uts the brakes on movement; while cerebellum is exitatory and releases the brakes on movement.

Front 11

Basal Ganglia (examples)

Back 11

sitting still, braking postural reflexes, deficits in movement

Front 12

Cerebellum (examples)

Back 12

regulates and coordinates, minute-by-minute feedback (foul ups: stair not there, chair lower than expected), muscle tone, spatial awareness

Front 13

What is a scotoma and what is its function?

Back 13

a figurative blind spot
when we don't see or acknowledge things that aren't a threat (function of RAS)
its function is to eliminate ambiguities in our perception and to fill in missing parts that would interfere with our perception.

ex: words with jumbled letters, old lady/young lady, where to focus attention (scallop pathway)

Front 14

What is the Reticular Activating System?

Back 14

RAS- housed in brainstem, attention/motivational center, screening device (decides what is not valuable for attention), filters betwen concious and subconcious

Front 15

If a dancer wants to effectively and quickly change an established negative habit, list 2 things he/she must first do?

Back 15

1) change in image of movement (make image salient, employ multiple senses)

2) give CNS new information (that it previously lacked) about the desired movement
old habit is not "broken," but new pathway can become a new habit

Front 16

Explain the function of both repetition and variation in training. Be specific about the neurological adaptations that occur with each.Which is more important in dance training?

Back 16

-repition in training solidifies pathways

-variation in training creates multiple pathways (strong technique, allows dancers to do things without having to think about it- synaptic fascillitation)

Both are important in dance and should be used equally (more creativity, range of ability, create more dendrites)

Front 17

Imagery and perception impacts performance?

Back 17

-role of students' perceptions
-role of teachers' perception
-power of suggestion (thinking positive)

Front 18

Stretch reflex (myotatic reflex)

Back 18

when muscle is stretched--receives a message to contract

helpes prevent injury, contributes to upright posture

Front 19

Reciprocal Inhibition

Back 19

When a muscle group contracts, the antagonist muscle group receives a message to relax

allows for smooth, efficient movement

Front 20

Golgi Tendon Reflex

Back 20

if muscle is stretched to where tendon will tear, muscle relaxes

Front 21

(Body and Limb Reflexes)

Flexor Reflex

Back 21

one flexor muscle contracts powerfully, other flexor muscle contracts in response

ex: buckling forward in battements

Front 22

(Body and Limb Reflexes)

Extensor Reflex

Back 22

one extensor muscle contracts powerfully, other extensor muscle contracts in response

ex: bucking in a jete

Front 23

(Body and Limb Reflexes)

Crossed Extensor Reflex

Back 23

extensors of one joint contract, the extensors on the diagonally opposite joint contract same with flexors
cross-lateral, cross-body coordination

ex- walking, skipping

Front 24

(Righting Reflexes)

Labrynth

Back 24

keeps head vertical

ex- sensation of coninued motion (elevators, planes, etc)

Front 25

(Righting Reflexes)

Head and Neck

Back 25

Keeps body facing in same direction as head/neck

ex- swerving while "rubber-necking", turning head in grapevine sequence

Front 26

(Righting Reflexes)

Bodily

Back 26

keeps body vertical

ex- coming back to vertical when body leans/sways

Front 27

(Righting Reflexes)

Optic

Back 27

keeps eyes horizantal

ex- losing balance with closed eyes (shows that it is overused)