Neurophysiology

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Study of how the nervous system generates and transmits electrical signals that lead to movement.

Neurons: The basic unit of the nervous system, communicating via electrical and chemical signals.
Action potential: The process by which neurons transmit electrical signals along their length.
Synapses: Junctions between neurons where chemical signals are transmitted.
Neurotransmitters: Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses.
Motor neuron: Neuron that controls muscle contraction.
Motor unit: A motor neuron and the muscle fibers it controls.
Spinal cord: The communication pathway between the brain and peripheral nervous system.
Reflexes: Automatic responses to stimuli that do not require conscious control.
Central pattern generators: Neural circuits in the spinal cord that generate rhythmic movements.
Cortical motor areas: Areas of the brain involved in planning and executing movements.
Basal ganglia: Subcortical structures involved in the regulation of voluntary movement and learning.
Cerebellum: A structure located in the hindbrain that is involved in motor coordination and learning.
Motor learning: The process by which the nervous system adapts to new movement patterns and skills.
Motor control disorders: Disorders that result in abnormal movement patterns or loss of motor control, such as Parkinson's disease or stroke.
Electromyography (EMG): Technique used to measure the electrical activity of muscles during contraction.
Kinematics: The study of movement patterns and trajectories.
Biomechanics: The study of the physical laws governing movement and the forces acting on the body.
Motor development: The study of the changes that occur in motor skills over the lifespan.
Neuroprosthetics: Implants or devices that assist individuals with motor control disorders.
Brain-computer interfaces: Technology that allows individuals to control devices or prosthetics using neural signals.
Electromyography (EMG): It is a technique for measuring the electrical signals of muscle activity during contraction.
Electroencephalography (EEG): It is a non-invasive method for recording the electrical activity of the brain.
Magnetoencephalography (MEG): It is a non-invasive method for recording the magnetic fields generated by electrical activity in the brain.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): It is a non-invasive method for stimulating specific regions of the brain with magnetic fields to measure their effect on motor control.
Electrooculography (EOG): It is a technique for recording the electrical activity of the muscles that control eye movements.
Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV): It is a technique for measuring the speed at which nerve impulses travel through the nerves.
Reflex Physiology: It is the study of how the nervous system controls reflexes, automatic responses to stimuli that do not require conscious thought or decision-making.
Neuroplasticity: It is the ability of the nervous system to adapt and change in response to new experiences, learning, or injury.
Kinematics: It is the study of the motion of the body during movement, such as the position, velocity, and acceleration of body segments.
Kinetics: It is the study of the forces that produce or inhibit motion, such as gravity, friction, and muscle forces.
Biomechanics: It is the study of the mechanical principles that govern human movement, such as forces, torques, and center of mass.
Neuroendocrinology: It is the study of the interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system, which controls hormone production and release.
Motor Learning: It is the study of how the nervous system adapts and improves motor skills through practice and feedback.
Motor Control: It is the study of how the nervous system plans, executes, and monitors movement.
- "Neurophysiology is a branch of physiology and neuroscience that studies nervous system function rather than nervous system architecture."
- "This area aids in the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases."
- "Historically, it has been dominated by electrophysiology—the electrical recording of neural activity."
- "The electroencephalogram (EEG), patch clamp, voltage clamp, extracellular single-unit recording, and recording of local field potentials are examples."
- "The neuron is an electrochemical machine, it is difficult to isolate electrical events from the metabolic and molecular processes that cause them."
- "Neurophysiologists currently utilize tools from chemistry (calcium imaging), physics (functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI), and molecular biology (site-directed mutations) to examine brain activity."
- "The word originates from the Greek word νεῦρον meaning 'nerve', and physiology meaning knowledge about the function of living systems."
- "Intracellular recording refers to the recording of the properties of single neurons."
- "It aids in the diagnosis and monitoring of neurological diseases."
- "Neurophysiologists currently utilize tools from chemistry such as calcium imaging."
- "The electroencephalogram (EEG) is an example of electrical recording of neural activity."
- "Neurophysiologists currently utilize tools from chemistry, physics, and molecular biology to examine brain activity."
- "It studies nervous system function rather than nervous system architecture."
- "Neurophysiology focuses on studying nervous system function, while neuroscience covers broader aspects including nervous system architecture."
- "The field aims to diagnose and monitor neurological diseases."
- "Molecular biology techniques such as site-directed mutations are used to examine brain activity."
- "Historically, neurophysiology has been dominated by electrophysiology."
- "Tools from chemistry, physics, and molecular biology are utilized by neurophysiologists to examine brain activity."
- "The word originates from the Greek word νεῦρον meaning 'nerve' and physiology meaning knowledge about the function of living systems."
- "Neurophysiologists utilize various techniques, including electrophysiology and molecular biology, to examine and gain knowledge about neural processes."