Motor reflex

Motor Reflex
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Motor reflexes are involuntary, nearly instantaneous movements in response to a specific stimulus. These reflexes are crucial for maintaining posture, balance, and overall coordination. They are mediated by the nervous system, particularly the spinal cord and brainstem.

Types of Motor Reflexes

Motor reflexes can be categorized into several types based on their complexity and the pathways involved:

• Monosynaptic reflex: This is the simplest type of reflex, involving a single synapse between the sensory neuron and the motor neuron. An example is the knee-jerk reflex (patellar reflex).

• Polysynaptic reflex: These reflexes involve one or more interneurons between the sensory and motor neurons. An example is the withdrawal reflex, which occurs when a person touches a hot object and quickly pulls away.

Mechanism of Action

Motor reflexes are initiated by sensory receptors that detect changes in the environment. These receptors send signals through afferent neurons to the spinal cord or brainstem, where the information is processed. The response is then transmitted via efferent neurons to the appropriate muscles, resulting in a reflexive action.

Clinical Significance

Motor reflexes are often tested in clinical settings to assess the integrity of the nervous system. Abnormal reflexes can indicate neurological disorders or damage to specific neural pathways. Common tests include the Babinski sign and the Hoffmann's reflex.

See Also

• Reflex arc
• Neurology
• Spinal cord
• Brainstem

References

Dale,

 Neuroscience, 
  
 Oxford University Press, 
 2018, 
  
  
 ISBN 978-1605353807,

Kandel, Eric R.,

 Principles of Neural Science, 
 Journal of Neuroscience, 
 2013, 
 Vol. 33(Issue: 45), 
 pp. 17603–17604, 
 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4412-13.2013,

External Links

• Motor Reflexes on PubMed