What are the three spinal reflexes?
What are the three spinal reflexes?
Spinal reflex
| Spinal reflex | Receptor –> sensory fiber –> (interneuron) –> alpha motor neuron –> muscle |
|---|---|
| Monosynaptic reflexes | Biceps brachii, triceps brachii, brachioradialis, quadriceps femoris, triceps surae reflexes |
| Polysynaptic reflexes | Upper abdominal, lower abdominal, cremasteric, plantar, anal reflexes |
Why are spinal reflexes important?
Spinal reflexes contribute to normal muscle tone and mediate a number of simple motor responses (e.g. withdrawal from a painful stimulus). The spinal cord also contains more complex neuronal networks called central pattern generators (CPGs).
What does it mean when your reflexes don’t work?
When reflex responses are absent this could be a clue that the spinal cord, nerve root, peripheral nerve, or muscle has been damaged. When reflex response is abnormal, it may be due to the disruption of the sensory (feeling) or motor (movement) nerves or both.
What does a +2 mean on reflex?
a brisk response
2+ = a brisk response; normal. 3+ = a very brisk response; may or may not be normal. 4+ = a tap elicits a repeating reflex (clonus); always abnormal.
Is the brain involved in spinal reflex?
Spinal reflexes are strongly influenced by control centers within the brain. Axons descend from numerous centers within the brainstem and the cerebral cortex and synapse primarily on the spinal interneurons, with some direct input to the motor neurons.
Why do neurologists test reflexes?
The pathway that a reflex follows (reflex arc) does not directly involve the brain. The pathway consists of the sensory nerve to the spinal cord, the nerve connections in the spinal cord, and the motor nerves back to the muscle. Doctors test reflexes to determine whether all parts of this pathway are functioning.
