A strange question on movement.

BigBoyJ · Apr 8, 2006

Ok, now I know that muscular movement involves an electrical impulse being sent from the brain through the nervous system resulting in contraction of the muscle which pulls on the bone to create the movement. I also understand that the more weight that is being moved, the greater in strength the impulse must be to recruit more muscle fibers to lift the heavier weight. In other words, you recruit more fibers lifting a 50 dumbell than you do while lifting a pencil. I know that the body only recruits as many muscle fibers as necessary to move an object. What I don't understand is, what exactly creates that electrical impulse in the brain? How can the brain generate a near endless supply of electrical energy to generate such powerful and numerous muscular contractions throughout a persons life? Think of how much electrical energy our brains have to put out during just one workout. What is the source of this energy and how is it created?

MikeS · Apr 8, 2006

ATP is the source for all function in the body, used to transport energy to cells for biochemical processes, including muscle contraction.
Neurologically, neurotransmitters (dopamine, norepinephrine, seratonin, acetylcholine) transmit impulses from one neuron (nerve cell) to another.

Dont know if this answers the question!

MikeS · Apr 8, 2006

Im sure there is alot more to it than that also...

BBJ you still doing PT?

nemo · Apr 8, 2006

MikeS is on the right track. your neurons use ATP to power pumps that create an electrochemical gradient in the axons of the neurons. impulses are propogated by opening channels that allow the ions to flow down the gradient created by the pumps. one neuron passes the impulse onto the next using a neurotransmitter of some sort (which depends on a lot of stuff). there is a lot more to it than that but that is the gist. it is actually quite complex and interesting

there is some more info here if you are curious http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuron

BigBoyJ · Apr 8, 2006

MikeS said:
Im sure there is alot more to it than that also...

BBJ you still doing PT?

Yeah, I'm still doing it. I've got some good long term clients now, so I'm cutting back on my hours. I've been working way too damned much and need a break for a while.

So I take it that basically a chemical process in the brain is what creates the electricity needed for the impulses? If so, that's a very efficient process we've developed. For the energy required to be created so quickly through a chemical process is amazing. Think about how much energy would have to be created for an 800 pound squat. For that much energy to be created that quickly in the brain and then expelled through the nervous system....holy shit. Of course it must be created that quickly though because I don't think the brain could just store the energy for future use. I don't know, I'm confusing myself again.

Maybe it's magic. Mmmmm magic.