Question

eligibility requirement - biology

human anatomy

question 2 of 4
which process enables the full contraction of an agonist by inhibiting the antagonist?

a) reflexive muscle inhibition
b) muscle-specific suppression
c) opposing muscle inhibition
d) muscle contraction regulation

Explanation:

Define agonist and antagonist muscles

Muscles work in opposing pairs to move joints.
The agonist contracts to create the movement.
The antagonist relaxes to allow the movement.

Identify the neural mechanism

To contract the agonist fully, the antagonist must relax.
The nervous system sends inhibitory signals to the antagonist.
This physiological process is called reciprocal inhibition.

Analyze the given options

Option A refers to reflexive muscle inhibition generally.
Option B is not a standard anatomical term.
Option C, "Opposing muscle inhibition", describes reciprocal inhibition.
Option D is too broad for this specific process.

Match with the best choice

"Opposing muscle inhibition" directly describes inhibiting the antagonist.
This prevents resistance against the contracting agonist muscle.
Therefore, Option C is the correct answer.

Answer:

• (A) Reflexive muscle inhibition
• (B) Muscle-specific suppression
• (C) Opposing muscle inhibition (Correct answer)
• (D) Muscle contraction regulation