The human body is a complex organism, which is composed of an enormous amount of mechanisms that are in charge of making it work properly at all times. Among these mechanisms are some that have to do with our way of reacting to the environment.

That is why we react in very similar ways to certain situations; for example, when faced with a threatening situation, escape is the most common response. The effector systems are responsible for some of the involuntary responses of our body .

In this article we will see what the characteristics of effector systems are, what types exist and the areas of the human body in which they are involved.

What are effector systems?

The effector systems are networks of nerve cells distributed throughout the body, which are configured to segregate certain types of substances in the organism according to the stimuli it receives, regardless of whether they are from the external environment (environment) or the internal environment.

These systems are configured in a pyramidal or hierarchical way , which means that for the final effect to take place, a series of chain reactions within the body are required, which begin with the segregation of substances.

For example, in the case of the motor system, it is made up of the neural circuits and muscles that respond to signals (electrical phenomena) coming from the central nervous system.

The types of effector systems

In the human body there is a great variety of effector organs that are responsible for shaping a variety of responses in the organism, all depending on what type of effector organ acts by secreting its particular substance.

Basically, effector systems can be categorized into two types, glands (those that secrete the substance) and muscles (those that execute the action). An enormous amount of possibilities derive from this.

Taking into account that we possess a tremendous amount of effector glands and approximately 639 muscles in the human body, the effects and responses that our organism is configured to give at certain moments are immeasurable.

Endocrine and exocrine cells

There are two primary cell types within the effector systems, which are the endocrine glands and the exocrine glands . The former are responsible for releasing hormones into the bloodstream to have an effect on the target organs, and the latter are responsible for releasing the substances into specific ducts that direct them to adjacent organs or the environment outside the body.

Almost all of these glands are under the control of the central nervous system, specifically the autonomic nervous system .

Types of muscles involved

As for the muscles, they too have a division that determines their functions.

First we have the striated and smooth muscles . The former, also known as skeletal muscles, are responsible for the motorisation of the skeleton, as they are fixed to the bone structure by means of tendons. These muscles are controlled by the somatic central nervous system, which means that their actions are controlled by the will of the individual.

The second type of muscle is in charge of everything related to the movement of the internal organs. This second category of muscles is controlled by the autonomic central nervous system and unlike the striated muscles they cannot be controlled at will .

The movements associated with the reaction

As we have seen, by way of synthesis we can say that the effector systems are holistic processes of the central nervous system, which depends on glands that secrete striated and smooth substances and muscles to execute the movements.

On the other hand, the human body is in constant movement, whether it is voluntary or involuntary. All these processes depend on the functions of the effector systems, and there are several areas of motility that must be seen separately.

1. Reflex movements

These are all the movements that we make in a direct way before the first contact with a stimulus of the environment , these movements cannot be eliminated in a voluntary way.

In this type of movement the neuron makes synapses directly with the motor neuron without going through the more complex pyramidal processes.

2. Voluntary movements

They are the movements we make with a consciously established purpose . They occur throughout the complex pyramidal process of the effector systems. They require prior planning.

On the other hand, this type of movement in its majority is perfected with the practice of the subject, through the processes of mechanical learning . For example, driving a car, swimming or riding a bicycle are activities that require a great deal of voluntary movements coordinated with each other.

3. Pyramidal movements

They are not movements of an involuntary character, but neither are they movements of a voluntary character . This type of movement is the one we do when we are doing a voluntary activity and in the background our body requires other movements for greater comfort and support to what is being done with more attention.

For example, when we walk, our arms move in an extra pyramidal way, or when a batter fans the bat and his feet turn, all of these are movements that our system makes to help the execution of the action we are performing.

Bibliographic references:

  • Schatzberg A. F., Nemeroff, C.S. (2006). Treatise on psychopharmacology. Elsevier.
  • Akins, C.; Klein, E. (2002). Imitative Learning in Japanese Quail using Bidirectional Control Procedure. Animal Learning and Behavior. 30 (3): 275 – 281.