OSMT (Ontario Society of Medical Technologists) Practice Exam

Which statement is NOT true of muscle tone?

1. a. Muscle tone is a state of slight contraction

2. b. Good muscle tone improves coordination and helps maintain posture

3. c. The cerebellum regulates muscle tone

4. d. Muscle tone does not depend on nerve impulses to muscle fibres

The correct answer is: d. Muscle tone does not depend on nerve impulses to muscle fibres

Muscle tone refers to the continuous and passive partial contraction of the muscles, which helps maintain posture and assists with movement coordination. The statement that muscle tone does not depend on nerve impulses to muscle fibers is not true because muscle tone is indeed influenced by a number of factors, including the nervous system's activity. Nerve impulses play a critical role in maintaining muscle tone. They are responsible for sending signals from the nervous system to the muscles, which trigger the muscle fibers to maintain a certain level of tension even when the muscles are at rest. This tone is crucial for sustaining posture and is influenced by systems in the central nervous system, predominantly the cerebellum and other areas of the brain that coordinate voluntary and involuntary muscle movements. In contrast, the accurate statements regarding muscle tone emphasize its role in slight contraction, how it enhances coordination and posture, and the regulatory influence of the cerebellum. These aspects collectively underline the importance of nervous system input in sustaining muscle tone, thus clarifying that the assertion of muscle tone's independence from nerve impulses is indeed incorrect.