Submitted By:

Shehroz Aqeel
Roll No:
DPT02193110
Section:
(B)
Submitted To:
Dr. Arooj Fatima
 Reflexes:
Definition:
“A reflex is an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement in
response to a stimulus. The reflex is an automatic response to a stimulus
that does not receive or need conscious thought as it occurs through
a reflex.”

Function:
In a reflex arc, the sensory neuron sends a signal to the
interneuron and activates it. The interneuron then relays that signal to the
next neuron, a motor neuron. Motor neurons connect with interneuron in
the spinal cord. They send messages from the central nervous system to
the body. The function of a given reflex pathway changes dynamically
throughout the locomotors cycle.
A reflex arc is a neural pathway that controls a reflex. In vertebrates,
most sensory neurons do not pass directly into the brain, but synapse in
the spinal cord. This allows for faster reflex actions to occur by activating
spinal motor neurons without the delay of routing signals through the brain.

Important of reflexes:
It is important that reflexes occur without the need for
thinking about them because there are things that happen to your body and
forces acting in your body when you move that need to be responded to
very quickly. Reflexes allow your body to react in ways that help you to be
safe, to stand upright, and to be active.

Human reflexes:
• Biceps reflex (C5, C6)
• Brachioradialis reflex (C5, C6, C7)
• Extensor digitorum reflex (C6, C7)
• Triceps reflex (C6, C7, C8)
• Patellar reflex or knee-jerk reflex (L2, L3, L4)
• Ankle jerk reflex (Achilles reflex) (S1, S2)

Reflex arc component:

Most reflex arcs have five main components:
 • Receptors
• Sensory neurons
• Interneurons
• Motor neurons
• Muscles

However, not all reflexes use interneuron.

Types of reflexes:
• Asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR)s
• Palmomental reflex.
• Moro reflex, also known as the startle reflex.
• Palmer grasp reflex.
• Rooting reflex.
• Sucking reflex.
• Symmetrical tonic neck reflex (STNR)
• Tonic labyrinthine reflex (TLR)
Asymmetrical tonic neck reflex:
The asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR) is a
primitive reflex found in newborn humans that normally vanishes around 4
months of age. It is also known as the "fencing reflex" because of the
characteristic position of the infant's arms and head, which resembles that
of a classically trained fencer.

Cause:
 The asymmetrical tonic neck reflex is activated as a result of
turning the head to one side. As the head is turned, the arm and leg on the
same side will extend, while the opposite limbs bend. The reflex should be
inhibited by six months of age in the waking state.

Palmomental reflex:
The palmomental reflex (PMR) is a
primitive reflex consisting of a twitch of the chin muscle elicited by stroking
a specific part of the palm. It is present in infancy and disappears as the
brain matures during childhood but may reappear due to processes that
disrupt the normal cortical inhibitory pathways.

They defined an abnormal PMR as a slow and sustained contraction

of the mentalist muscle. ... Dalby (1970) found an abnormal PMR in 81%, a
normal PMR in 7%, and absent in 12% of patients with pyramidal
tract lesions of the central nervous system.

Moro reflex:
The Moro reflex is an infantile reflex that develops between
28–32 weeks of gestation and disappears between 3–6 months of age. It is
a response to a sudden loss of support and involves three distinct
components: spreading out the arms (abduction) pulling the arms in
(adduction) crying (usually)
 Moro Reflex starts at birth and ends at 4-6 months. This is incidentally
around the same time when your baby starts is strong enough to roll over.
So it is a good practice to start swaddling at birth and end it around 4-6
months. With time, this baby reflex will disappear.

Palmer Grasp reflex:

Palmer grasp reflex (sometimes simply grasp
reflex) is a primitive reflex found in infants of humans and most primates.
When an object is placed in an infant's hand and the palm of the child is
stroked, the fingers will close reflexively, as the object is grasped
via palmer grasp.

Importence of palmer grasp reflex:

The presence of palmer grasp reflex allows to
measurement of the flexor tonus necessary for grasping movements of
hands, and, possibly of legs. According to Herschokovitz et al. its existence
is important so the infant is capable to perform manual grasping in his
first weeks of life.

Rooting reflex:
A reflex that is seen in normal newborn babies, who automatically
turn the face toward the stimulus and make sucking (rooting) motions with
the mouth when the cheek or lip is touched. The rooting reflex helps to
ensure successful breastfeeding.

Rooting Reflex: Common Signs Baby is Hungry

When he realizes there's no milk there, he'll
release his fingers and continue his search. The rooting reflex can be a
great help with latching on. When you're ready to breastfeed, stroke his
cheek or lip with your fingers or your nipple.

Sucking reflex:
The sucking reflex is common to all mammals and is
present at birth. It is linked with the rooting reflex and breastfeeding. It
causes the child to instinctively suck anything that touches the roof of their
mouth, and simulates the way a child naturally eats.
Sacking’s power to calm babies is quite extraordinary: It lowers the heart
rate, blood pressure and stress levels; it even reduces crying after shots
and blood tests.

Symmetrical tonic neck reflex:

The symmetrical tonic neck reflex (STNR) is a primitive
reflex that normally emerges during the first year of an infant's life and is
diminished by the age of 9-10 months. It is a bridging or
transitional brainstem reflex that is an important developmental stage and
is necessary for a baby to transition from lying on the floor to quadruped
crawling or walking.

The STNR is normally fully developed by 6–8 months and significantly

diminished by 2–3 years. If this reflex is retained beyond 2–3 years to such
a degree that it "modifies voluntary movement", the child is considered to
have "immature and abnormal reflex development", and this can have
broad effects on the child's later development.
Tonic labyrinthine reflex:
The tonic labyrinthine reflex (TLR) is a primitive
reflex found in newborn humans. With this reflex, tilting the head back while
lying on the back causes the back to stiffen and even arch backwards, the
legs to straighten, stiffen, and push together, the toes to point, the arms to
bend at the elbows and wrists, and the hands to become fisted or the
fingers to curl.

The presence of this reflex beyond the newborn stage is also referred to as
abnormal extension pattern or extensor tone.

Superficial reflexes:
Superficial reflexes may refer to the:

• Abdominal reflex
• Cremasteric reflex
Abdominal reflex:
An abdominal reflex is a superficial
neurological reflex stimulated by stroking of the abdomen around
the umbilicus. It can be helpful in determining the level of a CNS lesion.
Being a superficial reflex, it is polysynaptic.
Abdominal reflex is noted as either present or absent. An absent response
can be physiological. Physiological absent response can be due to obesity,
tolerance, children, multiparous lax abdominal wall. Pathological absence
can be due to

• Multiple sclerosis
• Motor neuron disease (late)
• Neurogenic bladder
• Brown-Squared syndrome
• Chari malformations
Cremasteric reflex:
• The cremasteric reflex is a superficial (i.e., close to the skin's
surface) reflex observed in human males.
•
This reflex is elicited by lightly stroking or poking the superior
and medial (inner) part of the thigh—regardless of the direction
of stroke.
• The normal response is an immediate contraction of
the cremaster muscle that pulls up the testis ipsilaterally (on the
same side of the body).
• The reflex utilizes sensory and motor fibers from two different
nerves.
• When the inner thigh is stroked, sensory fibers of
the ilioinguinal nerve are stimulated.
• These activate the motor fibers of the genital branch of the
genitofemoral nerve which causes the cremaster muscle to
contract and elevate the testis.
Deep reflex:
Deep tendon reflex also usually refers to this sense.
A deep tendon reflex is often associated with muscle stretching.
Tendon reflex tests are used to determine the integrity of the spinal cord
and peripheral nervous system, and they can be used to determine the
presence of a neuromuscular disease.
Deep Tendon Reflexes
• 0 = no response; always abnormal.
• 1+ = a slight but definitely present response; may or may not be
normal.
• 2+ = a brisk response; normal.
• 3+ = a very brisk response; may or may not be normal.
• 4+ = a tap elicits a repeating reflex (clonus); always abnormal.

Newborn Reflexes

Much of your baby’s activity in her first weeks of life is

reflexive. For instance, when you put your finger in her mouth, she doesn’t think
about what to do, but sucks by reflex. When confronted by a bright light, she will
tightly shut her eyes, because that’s what her reflexes make her do. She’s born with
many of these automatic responses, some of which remain with her for months,
while others vanish in weeks.
The main newborn reflexes include:
• Sucking reflex. A newborn sucks when a nipple or finger is placed in
his other mouth.
• Rooting reflex. ...
• Traction response. ...
• Palmer grasp. ...
• Placing. ...
• Startle (Moro) reflex. ...
• Gallant response. ...
• Tonic neck reflex.