Sarcomere

The repeating pattern of contractile, cytoskeletal proteins present in striated muscle providing the characteristic banding pattern.  It is the basic contractile element of the muscle fiber.  See Actin, Actomyosin, Myofibrils and myofilament, Muscle fiber, Proteins, Striated muscle

Saccade / antisaccade movements

Saccades are ballistic eye movementsthat typically occur 3 to 4 times every second and are used to switch betweenfixation points. During the occurrence of a saccadic eye movement, visualprocessing is selectively blocked (saccadic suppression, saccadic masking).This results in the effect that the motion of the eye or the gap between twofixations are not noticed. An …

Rule

An established standard, guideline, or regulation that serves to codify and specify a particular set of relationships. In this regard, it is not unlike a concept.  However, it is different from a law (of nature) in that it is artificially created to achieve some desired aim or goal.  See Concept, Display rules, Law, Laws of …

Running

When humans increase the speed of their walking pattern, a point is reached in which the double support period disappears and a flight phase (when no surface contact is made) occurs.  Running is a pattern of alternating limb action in which each limb propels the body forward into the air and then returns to the …

Rubrospinal tract

Projects from the motor cortex to the red nucleus in the midbrain, and runs along side the corticospinal tract in the lateral part of the spinal cord  See Corticobulbar tract (CBT), Corticopspinal tract (CST), Extrapyramidal system, Red nucleus

Rostral

From the Latin word for a beak, it means at the front of the longitudinal axis of the body or organ, or in bipeds to the top or head.  Used as a directional term in anatomy and physiology.  See Anencepahly, Caudal, Dorsal, Neurulation, Ventral

Rubber hand illusion

Oneof the most well-known multisensory illusions.  In this illusion, a participant views a fakehand whilst their real hand is out of sight.  When the real and fake hands are strokedsynchronously, adult participants experience the fake hand as belonging tothemselves, and their judgments concerning the location of their real hand arebiased towards the fake hand.  It turnsout that …