R EFLEX

Department of Physiology
REFLEX: A Fast, automatic, predictable involuntary response
to a particular stimulus

REFLEX: - Inborn (pulling hand away from a hot surface)

- Acquired (Driving expertise)

REFLEX: 1. Somatic (skeletal muscle)

2. Autonomic (glands, cardiac & smooth muscle)

REFLEX: 1. Spinal reflex

2. Cranial reflex
REFLEX ARC COMPONENTS:
Sensory receptor  Sensory/ afferent neuron  Integrating
center  Motor/ Efferent neuron  Effector
REFLEX: 1. Monosynaptic reflex (e.g. stretch reflex)
2. Polysynaptic reflex (e.g. withdrawal reflex)
SOMATIC SPINAL REFLEXES

1. Stretch reflex
2. Tendon reflex
3. Flexor (withdrawal reflex)
4. Crossed extensor reflex

1. STRETCH (MYOTATIC) REFLEX

- Control muscle length  muscle contraction response

- Monosynaptic reflex
- Tapping tendons at the elbow (biceps & triceps reflexes),
wrist, knee (knee jerk/ patellar reflex), ankle (Achilles
reflex)
 Biceps reflex

Triceps reflex 

Achilles reflex

Patellar
reflex 
PATELLAR REFLEX: Tendon  Muscle spindle  Ia afferent
neuron  Spinal cord   motor neuron excited
- Monosynaptic, ipsilateral reflex
- Reciprocal innervation  polysynaptic  antagonistic muscle
inhibited
MUSCLES:
1. Extrafusal
2. Intrafusal (muscle spindle) fibres

MUSCLE SPINDLE:
1. Nuclear bag fibre
2. Nuclear chain fibre

SENSORY NEURONS:
1. Nuclear bag fibre  Ia afferent fibres
2. Nuclear chain fibre  Ia and II afferent fibres

MOTOR NEURONS:
1. Extrafusal fibres  Alpha motor neuron
2. Intrafusal fibres  Gamma motor neuron
• Nuclear bag fibres  dynamic stretch reflex stretch
• Nuclear chain fibres  static stretch reflex reflex

GAMMA MOTOR NEURON:

- Regulated by the brain, voluntary
- Smooth out the movement during muscle contractions
- Preventing jerky movements
- Alpha & gamma motor neurons are stimulated
simultaneously
2. TENDON REFLEX

- Control muscle tension 

muscle relaxation response
- Polysynaptic, ipsilateral
- Golgi tendon organs  Ib
afferent neuron  Spinal cord

a.Inhibitory interneuron  Motor
neuron inhibited/ muscle relaxes
b.Excitatory interneuron Motor
neuron excited/ antagonistic
muscle contracts
3. FLEXOR REFLEX
- Withdrawal reflex
- Polysynaptic, ipsilateral, intersegmental
- Pain receptor  Sensory neuron  Integrating center 
Interneuron  Motor neuron  Ipsilateral flexor muscles
- Reciprocal innervation  extensor muscles
WITHDRAWAL
REFLEX:

- Polysynaptic

- Ipsilateral

- Intersegmental
4. CROSSED EXTENSOR REFLEX

- Polysynaptic, contralateral,
intersegmental

- Contralateral reflex arc

- Pain receptor  Sensory neuron

 Integrating center 
Interneuron  Motor neuron 
Contralateral extensor muscles

- Reciprocal innervation  Flexor

muscles
DIAGNOSTICS

1. Muscle tone
- Poliomyelitis  hypotonia/ atonia
- Stroke  hypertonia
- Muscle spasm (broken bone, peritonitis), cramps

2. Reflex
- Afferent fibers/ lower motor neuron lesions (e.g. poliomyelitis,
diabetes, syphilis)  hyporeflexia
- Descending motor pathways from the brain (e.g. stroke)
 hyperreflexia
- Mass reflex
3. Patellar reflex
Diabetes mellitus, neurosyphilis  decrease/ absent
Motor tracts descending from the brain disorders 
increase/ hyperreflexia

4. Achilles reflex
Diabetes mellitus, neurosyphilis, alcoholism,
subarachnoid hemorrhages  decrease/ absent
Cervical cord compression, motor tracts lesion 
increase

5. Abdominal reflex
6. Pupillary light reflex (autonomic reflex)  brain injury
indicator
7. Babinski sign
References
• Carola R, Harley JP, Noback, CR (1990).
Human Anatomy and Physiology, Chapter 12,
Pages: 346-450.
• Ganong WF (2005). Review of Medical
Physiology, 22nd ed. Chapter 6, Pages: 129-
137.
• Guyton AC & Hall JE (2006). Textbook of
Medical Physiology, 11th ed. Chapter 54,
Pages: 673-684.
• Tortora GJ & Derrickson B (2006). Principles
of Anatomy and Physiology, 11th ed. Chapter
13, Pages: 460-467.