NEUR30003 Study Guide - Final Guide: Golgi Tendon Organ, Muscle Contraction, Distributed Computing

• School: University of Melbourne
• Department: Neuroscience
• Course: NEUR30003
• Professor: Peter

Document Summary

Muscle spindles make not only indirect connections to some mns but also direct (monosynaptic) connections to other mns. Golgi tendon organs always activate mns via an interneuron. Spindle fibers are stretch sensitive neurons so wont fire during concentric contraction as the muscle is shortening. Gtos are sensitive to force on the tendon which occurs during stretch, but also when the muscle is being contracted. The brain then compares these 2 firing to integrate what is occurring at the muscle: stretch, concentric contraction, eccentric contraction, etc. Light microscopy has low temporal resolution because it takes time. Sample at one stage then another 14 days later might see fewer synaptic contacts per neuron over time. Spatial resolution must have been very high (to be able to count synaptic contacts)