Voluntary muscle

Voluntary muscles are muscles that are under conscious control by the brain. They are also known as skeletal muscles because most of them are attached to the bones of the skeleton. These muscles are responsible for all the movements of the body that are under direct voluntary control, such as walking, running, and lifting objects.

Structure

Voluntary muscles are composed of long, thin, multinucleated muscle fibers. Each fiber is a single cell that is packed with myofibrils, which are the contractile elements of the muscle. The myofibrils are made up of repeating units called sarcomeres, which are the basic functional units of the muscle.

Function

The primary function of voluntary muscles is to produce movement. They do this by contracting in response to signals from the nervous system. When a voluntary muscle contracts, it pulls on the bones to which it is attached, causing them to move. This is how we are able to perform actions such as walking, running, and lifting objects.

Voluntary muscles also play a role in maintaining posture and stabilizing joints. Even when we are not consciously moving, our voluntary muscles are constantly contracting and relaxing to keep us upright and balanced.

Control

The control of voluntary muscles is complex and involves many parts of the brain and nervous system. The primary control center for voluntary movement is the motor cortex, which is located in the frontal lobe of the brain. The motor cortex sends signals down the spinal cord to the muscles, telling them when to contract.

In addition to the motor cortex, other parts of the brain and nervous system are involved in the control of voluntary muscles. These include the basal ganglia, which help to control the intensity of muscle contraction, and the cerebellum, which helps to coordinate voluntary movements.

Disorders

There are many disorders that can affect the function of voluntary muscles. These include muscular dystrophy, a group of genetic disorders that cause progressive weakness and loss of muscle mass, and myasthenia gravis, a condition that causes weakness in the voluntary muscles. Other disorders, such as stroke and Parkinson's disease, can affect the brain's ability to control voluntary muscles.

Voluntary muscle Resources
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