spasm
1. (Science: physiology) A sudden, violent, involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles, attended by pain and interference with function, producing involuntary movement and distortion.
2. A sudden but transitory constriction of a passage, canal or orifice.
Origin: L. Spasmus, Gr. Spasmos
Dictionary > Spasm
You will also like...
Animal Water Regulation
Animals adapt to their environment in aspects of anatomy, physiology, and behavior. This tutorial will help you understa..
The Human Physiology
Physiology is the study of how living organisms function. Thus, human physiology deals specifically with the physiologic..
Polyploidy
Humans are diploid creatures. This means that for every chromosome in the body, there is another one to match it. Howeve..
Amphibians & Early Reptiles
Obtaining air outside an aquatic environment required species to acquire suitable adaptations, and this was the case of ..
Plant Meristems and Growth
In plants, growth occurs in meristems, which are the site of repeated cell division of unspecialized cells. These cells ..
Human Biology – Food and Digestion
This tutorial recognizes the importance of food as a source of energy that will fuel many biological processes. A good d..