Final answer:
Reciprocal inhibition is a concept in biology that refers to the simultaneous activation and inhibition of opposing muscles or neurons to achieve a coordinated movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reciprocal inhibition is a concept in biology that refers to the simultaneous activation and inhibition of opposing muscles or neurons to achieve a coordinated movement.
It involves a disynaptic connection where the first synapse inhibits the second cell, which in turn stops inhibiting the final target.
For example, in the withdrawal reflex, a stimulus triggers the activation of a motor neuron that causes contraction of the biceps brachii, while simultaneously inhibiting the opposing muscle, the triceps brachii, to facilitate the movement.