‫بسم اهلل الرحمن الرحيم‬

Motor System

Abu ahmed
2021
• Reflex :
– is an automatic involuntary response to
stimulus.
• Reflex arc: The basic unit of integrated
neural activity.
• Components of reflex arc:
• Stimulus
• Receptor
• Afferent
• Integration center
• Efferent
• Effectors
 Classification of Reflexes
1. According to the Number of Synapses
Present in the Reflex Arc
1. Monosynaptic Reflexes:
• have one synapse only : The sensory
( afferent ) axon synapse directly on the
anterior horn cell.
• Examples : The Stretch reflexes .
 2 . Bisynaptic Reflexes:
• have two synapse between the afferent and the
efferent neurons via one interneuron.
• Examples : Golgi Tendon reflex
3 . Polysynaptic reflexes:
– Have many synapses
– Examples : Abdominal Reflexes & withdrawal
reflex.
2. Classification of Reflexes According to the
Location of the Receptor:
(1) Superficial Reflexes :
• The receptor is in the skin ( cutaneous
receptor) e.g., abdominal reflexes , plantar
reflex and withdrawal reflex .
(2) Deep reflexes:
• The receptor is located in the deep
structures: muscle or tendon e.g., stretch
reflexes & Golgi tendon reflex.
(3) Visceral Reflexes :
• Reflexes involving the autonomic reflex arc
, receptors are located in the viscera e.g.,
micturition reflex ,Defecation reflex &
erection reflex .
 Stretch reflex
• Its deep monosynaptic reflex.
• Stretch of any skeletal muscle leads to
reflex contraction of the stretched
muscle.
• Receptor: muscle spindles .
 The Muscle Spindle
• The receptor of stretch reflex.
• Stimulus : is stretch of muscle.
• Functions:Informed the CNS about
muscle length & the rate of change in
muscle length.
• Each spindle consists of 3-12 small
muscle fibers , called Intrafusal Fibres.
• They lie parallel to the large
Extrafusal Fibres.
• Each intrafusal fibre consists of:
 Central non-contractile area
(receptor area).
 Peripheral contractile parts
• There are two types of intrafusal
fibers:
1. Nuclear bag fibers : contain many
nuclei in a dilated central area
( “ bag ” ).
2. Nuclear chain fibers : have one line
of nuclei spread in a chain along the
receptor area .
The Muscle Spindle (Intrafusal Fibers)

Nuclear chain fiber

Innervation of muscle spindles
A. Sensory (afferent) innervation:
 The afferent fibers supply the central
receptor areas of the intra-fusal
muscle fibers by two types of
endings:
1. Primary endings (annulo - spiral ending):
– These endings supply both nuclear
bag and nuclear chain fibers .
– rapidly-conducting group Ia fibers.
– Measure the rate of change in
muscle length mainly.
– Responsible for Dynamic response.
2.Secondary endings (flower spray endings):
– These endings supply only the
nuclear chain fibers.
– group II sensory fibres .
– measure only muscle length.
– Responsible for Static Response
B. Motor (efferent) innervation:

• The peripheral contractile parts of

the intra-fusal muscle fibers are
supplied by the gamma () motor
neurons (small neurons in the
anterior horn). The  motor
neurons are of two types:
1. Dynamic  motor neurons: which supply
the nuclear bag fibers.
2. Static  motor neurons: which supply the
nuclear chain and bag fibers.
• The Extra-fusal muscle fibers are
supplied by the alpha motor
neurons.
Innervation of muscle spindle and muscle
 How the muscle spindles work

• The muscle spindles can be stimulated

under two conditions:
1.When the whole muscle is stretched.
2.When the peripheral parts of intrafusal
fibers contract.
Thank you for your attention