Exercise No.

9
Human Reflexes
 Human Reflex Physiology
 Objective:
 To observe some basic reflexes in man.
 Definition:
 Rapid,predictable and involuntary motor
response to stimuli through pathways called
reflex arcs.
 Two systems
 Autonomic reflexes (unconscious):
digestion, sweating etc.
 Somatic reflexes: activate skeletal muscles.
 The basic components of all human reflex arcs

Spinal cord (in cross section)

Stimulus
2 Sensory neuron 3 Integration center
1 Receptor
Skin 4 Motor neuron Interneuron
5 Effector

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 The Reflex Arc
 Characteristics: Structurally (number of
neurons involved)
 Monosynaptic arc: one synapse
 Polysynaptic arc: one or more association neurons.
 Somatic Reflexes (skeletal muscle effectors)
 Stretch reflexes: Postural and locomotion reflexes.
 Muscle spindle stimuli/Golgi organ in tendons
(stretching) initiates reflex.
 Reciprocalinhibition: antagonistic efferent
muscles are relaxed (damped).
 Patellar reflex (Procedure 1a).
 Tendon Myotatic or Stretch Reflexes

 Patellar reflex (knee jerk)

 Ask the subject to sit on a chair with one
knee crossed over the other. Elicit the knee
jerk by striking the patellar tendon with a
percussion hammer or the other side of the
hand.

 Repeat several times so as to the judge the

relative intensity of the response. Try
various degrees of knee flexion and find out
what angle is most effective. Results
 The stretch reflex

Interneuron
Cell body of
1 Afferent impulses sensory neuron
from stretch
receptor to Motor neuron
spinal cord serving quadriceps

2 Efferent Motor neuron

–
impulses to serving antagonist
alpha (a) motor muscle group
neurons cause (hamstrings)
Initial contraction Spinal cord
stimulus: of the stretched (L2–L4)
muscle muscle that
stretch resists/reverses
the stretch Muscle
Patella spindle
Quadriceps
Muscle (extensors)
spindle

Patellar
ligament Hamstrings
3 Efferent impulses
to antagonist (flexors)
muscles are
damped Key:
(reciprocal + Excitatory synapse
inhibition) – Inhibitory synapse
(a)
(b)

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Tendon Myotatic or Stretch Reflexes

 Achilles or ankle jerk

 Letthe subject kneel on the chair with the
foot hanging freely over the edge of the
chair. Bend the foot so as to increase the
tension of the gastrocnemius muscle then
tap the tendon of Achilles. Result?
 Tendon Myotatic or Stretch Reflexes

 Biceps reflex
 Restthe arm on a table let it hung freely.
Tap the biceps. Result?
 Operation of the muscle spindle

Muscle
spindle
Intrafusal
muscle fiber

Primary
sensory (la)
nerve fiber
Extrafusal
muscle fiber

Time Time Time Time

(a) Unstretched (b) Stretched muscle; (c) a Motor neuron (d) a - g Neuron
muscle; AP frequency stimulation only; no coactivation;
AP frequency increased APs, unable to signal AP frequency
constant length changes constant
AP: Action Potential

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Anatomy of the muscle spindle and Golgi tendon organ

g Efferent motor fiber to spindle

Secondary
sensory
endings a Efferent
(type II fiber) motor fiber
to extrafusal
Primary muscle
sensory fibers
endings
(type Ia fiber) Extrafusal
muscle
Muscle spindle fiber
Intrafusal
muscle
Connective fibers
tissue capsule

Sensory
Capsule fiber
Tendon
Golgi tendon
organ

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.
 Cutaneous or Superficial Reflexes

 Corneal or Conjunctival Reflex

 Askthe subject to look at the opposite side
from that at which the experimenter will be
working.
 Witha clean twisted bit of absorbent
cotton, gently touch the lateral portion of
the cornea. Result?
 Cutaneous or Superficial Reflexes

 Abdominal Reflex
 Gentlystroke the upper portion of the
abdomen parallel to the costal border.
Result?
 Cutaneous or Superficial Reflexes

 Plantar Reflex
 Lightly
scratch the sole of your
partner’s foot. Describe the reflex
response of the toes. What is the
normal response?
 Cutaneous or Superficial Reflexes

 Pharyngeal (gag) Reflex

 Witha clean wooden tongue
depressor, touch the back of the
pharynx. Result? List down all the
responses?
 Cutaneous or Superficial Reflexes

 Sneeze (Nasal) Reflex

 With a clean cotton or thread, tickle
the interior of the nostril. Result?
 Attempt to inhibit the reflex by
pressing strongly against the upper lip
while the nostril is tickled. Result? How
do you interpret the results?
 Organic reflexes

 Photopupil reflex
 Accommodation reflex
 Ciliospinal reflex
 Convergence reflex
 Visceral reflexes

Dorsal
Sensory root Central
receptor in ganglion nervous
viscera
Stimulus system

Visceral
Visceral reflex arc
(sensory)
(Autonomic reflex)
fiber
Postganglionic
axon

Response Visceral
effector Integration center
Ganglionic (may be preganglionic
neuron neuron)

Autonomic Preganglionic axon

ganglion

Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7e Copyright © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,

by Elaine Marieb & Katja Hoehn publishing as Benjamin Cummings.