PostLab

Ex 16, 18, 23

REFLEXES IN HUMANS
Exercise 16
A. EYE REFLEX
1. CORNEAL/CONJUNCTIVAL REFLEX
- contraction of the orbicularis oculi
muscle causes closure of the eyelid
(blinking)
2. BLINK REFLEX
- blinking upon rapid passing of hand
in front of subjects face

3. PUPILLARY REFLEXES
a. Light or Photopupillary Reflex
bright light pupil is constricted
dim light pupil is dilated
b. Accomodation Reflex
Accommodation is the ability of the eyes to focus
on objects at different distances so as to
produce a clear vision
far dilated pupils
near normal sized or constricted pupils
c. Pupillary Skin Reflex
Dilation of the pupil upon pinching the cheeks

4. CONVERGENCE REFLEX
Reflexive movement of the eyes medially
when we view close objects
distant objects eyeballs parallel with
each other : no convergence of eyeballs
near objects eyeballs come close to
each other at a point: there is
convergence

B. STRETCH REFLEXES
1. Patellar reflex the appropriate response is
contraction of the quadriceps femoris which
results to a knee jerk or patellar reflex
2. Biceps reflex contraction of biceps and flexion
of the forearm
3. Triceps reflex - extension of the elbow
4. Ankle jerk flexion of the foot
5. Wrist reflex flexion of the wrist
6. Sneezing reflex - sneezing
7. Palmar reflex closing of the hand or flexion of
the fingers
8. Abdominal reflex drawing in of the abdominal
wall

9. Pharyngeal reflex induces vomiting

10. Plantar reflex - plantar flexion of the toes
11. Axon reflex reddening of the skin; production
of a red flare
12. Babinskis reflex fanning out of toes with
dorsal extension of the big toe
13. Palatal reflex contraction of the palatal
muscle
14. Epigastric reflex drawing in of the skin of the
epigastrium
15. Cremasteric reflex elevation of the testes
during stroking
16. Gluteal reflex contraction of the gluteal
muscle which is observed by the movement of
the skin overlying the muscles

Answers to Questions
1. State and explain the phenomenon
of reciprocal inhibition
- stimulation of one muscle causes
the inhibition of antagonistic muscle
ex. When flexor reflex excites the
biceps muscle, it simultaneously
inhibits the triceps muscle

2. Explain why the axon reflex is

considered as the simplest type of reflex
- axon reflex is considered the simplest
type of reflex because it involves only a
part of a single sensory neuron
3. Describe the components of a reflex arc
- reflex arc: pathway taken by the
impulse to produce the reflex action

Modalities of Somatic Sensations

Exercise 18

Sensation
- conscious or subconscious
awareness of external or internal
stimuli.
- Each type of sensation felt whether
touch, pressure, pain, temperature,
body position, etc. is sensory
modality.

Sensory Receptor:
1. Exteroceptors stimulated by forces
outside the body
ex. somatic sensations temp, touch, pain
2. Proprioceptors stimulated by activities
of the muscles and articulations.
a. rate of contraction of muscles
b. location
c. rate of motion of legs, arms, fingers, and
other body parts
d. forces or pressure being exerted on the
body
3. Enteroceptors stimulated by
substances or conditions within the viscera


Receptors for the following senses:
a. Touch Meissners corpuscles,
Merkels disks, free nerve endings
around a hair follicle
b. Pressure VaterPacini corpuscles
c. Cold end-bulb of Krause
d. Heat corpuscles of Ruffini
e. Pain free nerve ending

Results and Observations:

A. Sensation of Pain
The individual can distinguish all 3 types of pain.
Adaptation is the lost of sensation due to frequent
stimulation.

B. Stereognosis
- Appreciation of the form of three dimensional objects
by palpation without the aid of vision.
- Determined by the somatosensory area in the
cerebrum of the brain
C. Pressure Sensation
Located on the deeper tissue; longer lasting; with less
intensity; has rapid adaptation

Physiology of Special Senses

Exercise 23
I. VISUAL TESTS
A.Visual Acuity Test
- test that measures the ability of the lens
to focus light reflected from an object to the
retina
farsightedness hyperopia
nearsightedness myopia
presbyopia difficulty to focus close objects

B. Demonstration of Blind Spot

Result:
Blind spot test figure (x or dot)
disappears when it is focussed on the
blind spot which lack photoreceptors

C. After Image
It is a sensation that tends to persists in the
consciousness after the cessation of stimulation.
There are 2 types:
1.positive after image appears in the same color as the
original stimulus
2.negative after image appears in color complementary
to the original stimulus
Results:
a. after image of bulb appears in same color as
stimulus positive after image
b. after image of colored objects appears in
complementary color negative after image

C. Test for Astigmatism

- caused by abnormal lens or corneal curvature
which causes part of the image to appear
blurred
result:
a. there is no astigmatism if all the radiating
lines appear equally dark and distinct
b. there is some degree of astigmatism if some
of the lines are blurred and appear less dark than
the others.

II. HEARING
The ear transmits sound vibrations and their patterns,
intensities, and directions of origin to the temporal lobe
of the brain.
Sound waves have 2 major characteristics
1. frequency or wavelength which determines pitch
measured in cps
2. amplitude or intensity which determines loudness
measured in db

Types of hearing impairment:

1. conduction deafness
2. sensorineural deafness
3. central deafness
4. perceptive deafness

III. Taste
The tongue which is covered with papillae is the principal organ
of taste.
Taste buds which are located in the trenches of the papillae are
sensitive to substances dissolved in water.
Taste, like smell, is a result of the stimulation of sensory neurons
by chemical substance.
The 4 tastes are:
Salty stimulated by metallic ions
Sour - by hydrogen ions
Sweet - by a hydroxyl ion
Bitter - by alkaloids

Each type of taste bud is concentrated on different areas

of the tongue, with :
sweet at the tip
salty at the tip and anterior part
sour on the sides
bitter at the back

Results:
A.
1.NaCl salty at tip and anterior part of tongue
2. Acetic acid sour at the lateral side
3.
sucrose sweet at the tip
4.
quinine sulphate bitter at the posterior part or base of
tongue
B.Solutions are perceived very rapidly, crystals are perceived after
several minutes due to longer dissolution time

IV. Smell
The sense of smell has 2 outstanding characteristics
1. has a high degree of adaptation
2. certain odors mask others
Masking is the ability of a high intensity odor to dominate and
exclude any other odors
The taste receptors are excited by chemical substances like food
while smell receptors by chemical substances in the air

Results:
oil of cloves masked the odor of the other 2 oils, namely,
wintergreen and peppermint