Reflexes

Involuntary motor response to a

sensory stimulus forms the reflex
action.
 Learning Objectives
At the end of the lecture the student should be able to:
Define a reflex action
Know the neural components of a reflex action
Classify reflexes
List the properties of Reflexes
Explain reciprocal innervation, Crossed extensor
reflex and their importance
Explain stretch reflex and its importance
Explain inverse stretch reflex and its significance
• The neural components of reflex action
forms the reflex arc
 Bell Magendie Law
• In the spinal cord, the principle that the
dorsal nerves are sensory and the ventral
nerves are motor is known as the Bell -
Magendie Law
 Types of Reflexes
Types of Reflexes:
Physiological
• Stretch reflex ( Monosynaptic)
• Flexor reflex ( Polysynaptic )
• Visceral reflex
• Conditioned reflex
 Clinical
• Superficial reflex ( corneal, conjunctival, abdominal,
plantar, )
• Deep reflex ( biceps jerk, triceps jerk, Knee jerk,
ankle jerk )
• Pathological reflex ( Babinski’s sign )
Knee jerk
 Flexor reflex

• It is a polysynaptic reflex ( there are many

interneurons between the afferent and the
efferent neurons).
• Withdrawal reflex which occurs due to a
noxious stimulus is an example of flexor
reflex.
• The flexor reflex shows after discharge, CES,
CIS, irradiation, recruitment, reciprocal
innervation, and crossed extensor reflex.
They are described under the properties of
reflexes.
Flexor reflex
Poly synaptic pathway of Flexor reflex
 Properties of Reflex action
The properties are exhibited by the flexor
reflex,except reciprocal innervation, which is
also shown by stretch reflex.

Adequate stimulus
A reflex can occur only if there is a sufficient
stimulus.
Local sign The reflex action occurs in the
place, which has been stimulated.
 
CES and CIS
Central excitatory state and central
inhibitory state in the spinal cord occur
due to the release of excitatory and
inhibitory transmitters respectively and
the presence of polysynaptic pathway
facilitates the condition.
 After discharge

As the neurons in the polysynaptic pathway form

reverberating circuit, the excitation continues even
after the stimulus no longer exists. This creates a
background activity in the spinal cord for the reflex
action to be prepotent.

 
 
Irradiation and recruitment
 
In a polysynaptic pathway, depending on the
intensity of stimulation, the excitation can
spread to more segments of spinal cord
( irradiation )and also it leads to activation of
more motor units ( recruitment)
 
Reciprocal innervation

This is present in both flexor and stretch

reflexes. The reciprocal innervation
shows, when protagonists muscles are
activated in the limb, the antagonist
muscles are inhibited.
 
Reciprocal Innervation(inhibition)
Crossed extensor reflex
  In flexor reflex, when protagonists muscles
are activated in one limb, the antagonists
muscles of the opposite limb are activated.
That is when flexion occurs in one limb, the
extensor of the same limb is inhibited
( reciprocal innervation) and the extensors of
the opposite limb are activated and the
flexors inhibited. This will help to maintain
posture while the reflex action is being
executed.
Crossed extensor reflex
 Stretch reflex

  The reflex contraction of a muscle to stretch

is known as stretch reflex. It is a
monosynaptic reflex. Stretch reflex forms the
basis of muscle tone and posture.
Tendon reflexes such as knee jerk, ankle jerk,,
biceps jerk are examples of stretch reflexes.
 Receptor
 
The receptor for stretch reflex is muscle
spindle present in the muscle. Each spindle
has 8-10 intra fusal fibres which run parallel
to the extrafusal fibres. The extra fusal fibers
contain the contractile units. Intra fusal fibers
are of two types namely, nuclear bag and
nuclear chain fibers.

The function of muscle spindle is to

maintain muscle length.
Sensory afferents
The central regions of these contain sensory
endings, while the end regions contain end
plates which can contract. The sensory
endings include primary endings called
annulospiral endings supplied by group I a
fibers and the secondary endings called
flower spray endings supplied by group II
fibers. The later is present mainly in the
nuclear chain fibers. The Primary sensory
endings convey changes in muscle length
and rate of change of muscle length. The
secondary endings convey only changes in
muscle length.
Motor efferents
 
The end regions of intrafusal fibers receive
motor innnervation from A  motor neurons.
The excitation of  efferents to the muscle
spindle causes the contraction of the end
regions of the intrafusal fibers, which pulls the
central regions causing the sensory endings to
be stimulated.
 
The  efferent activity to the muscle spindle
is under the influence of reticular
formation.
 The sensory afferents are stimulated by
muscle stretch and  activation. The afferents
end on the alpha motor neuron in the spinal
cord which supplies the extrafusal fibers,
causing its contraction.

 
When alpha motor neuron is activated
there is also simultaneous activation of
 efferents ( coactivation) so that the
stretch reflex is sustained to maintain
the muscle length and hence the
muscle tone 
   motor discharge will cause
increased muscle tone called rigidity
•  
   motor discharge will cause
decreased muscle tone called muscle
flaccidity
Inverse stretch reflex:
 When a muscle is excessively stretched or
pulled, the muscle tear is prevented by the
inverse stretch reflex by causing the inhibition
of stretch reflex. The receptor is golgi tendon
organ and is present in the tendon of the
muscle. It senses the muscle force or
tension.
Inverse stretch reflex is seen in lengthening
reaction or clasp knife rigidity.
 Points to remember…..
• Flexor reflexes are polysynaptic and they show the
properties of reflexes.
• Stretch reflex is monosynaptic and it is necessary
for maintenance of muscle tone and posture.
Muscle spindle is the receptor for stretch reflex.
• The activity of  motor neurons to the muscle
spindle ensures maintenance of muscle length.
Increase in  firing will cause muscle tone and
rigidity while   firing will cause  muscle tone
and flaccidity.
The stretch reflex is integrated in the spinal cord and
regulated primarily by the reticular formation and
secondarily by impulses transmitted to it from
cerebellum , basal ganglia and cerebral cortex.
The inverse stretch reflex has receptor in the tendon
and it is Golgi tendon organ. It is stimulated
whenever there is excessive muscle stretching (
tension) and reflexly causes inhibition of muscle.
Muscle spindle maintains muscle length and Golgi
tendon organ maintains muscle tension
 Resources
• Text book of Medical Physiology, Guyton
& Hall, 10 edition , Pages,623- 630.
• Review of Medical Physiology W. F.
Ganong , 20 edition – Pages 129 -131
• Web resources