The role of the neuromuscular system on work and exercise

1. Many elderly and/or hypertensive individuals must take catecholamine blockers and/or calcium channel blockers each day. Explain in detail what

effect you think that these types of medications have on the elderly and/or hypertensives capacity to perform both (a) gross motor skills, and (b)

sudden powerful movements. (Note: Dr. Hermann thinks that for a grade of B a graduate student should be able to identify and explain in detail at

least four methods.)

2. FACT: There is a direct relationship the volume of caffeine within a body and the amount of Ca++ leakage from the SR (i.e. the more caffeine the

more Ca++ will leak out into the cytoplasm). Explain in detail the effect (if any) that a high caffeine consumption (>10 cups of coffee/day) would

have on a persons ability to rate code successfully.

3. On Monday Nov 30, 2009, Dr. Hermann (61 y male, 205 lbs, 6’1?, type 2 diabetic) did his regular work out at 12 noon. This workout consisted of

walking on a treadmill at 4.0 mph at a 12% grade. Every minute, Dr. Hermann increases the grade by 1% and he continues doing this until the grade is

at 15%. After reaching 15%, Dr. Hermann dropped the grade by 1% until he reached 12%. Dr. Hermann continued this program until he had walked for 45

min. On noon Tuesday Dec 2, 2014, Dr. Hermann proceeded to do the same workout. After 15 minute, however, Dr. Hermann felt very fatigued after 15

minutes of work and finished the final 30 min at 3.5 mph and5% grade. Identify three (for a grade of B) possible sources that could be responsible

for Dr. Hermann feeling fatigued and explain in detail why each of the sources can lead to fatigue.

4. In most conditions of work, power is the desired result of muscular contraction.
A. What are the two major components of power?
B. At the level of the sarcomere and actomyosin interaction, what are the steps and factors responsible for the two components identified in A above?
C. For a B grade, identify for each of the two components from #A three methods by which each component is modulated (at either the single cell,

motor unit, or whole muscle level) both acutely and chronically (i.e for a B, a total of 12 different modulating methods; 3 acute & 3 chronic for A1,

and 3 acute & 3 chronic for A2).
D. Be sure to explain in detail the hows and whys of the factors mentioned in C that allow the modulation to take place.