Lab 13: REFLEX ARC AND REFLEXES

Learning outcomes of the lab exercises:

1. Identify and describe each component of a reflex arc.
2. Explain why reflex testing is important in assessing the condition of the nervous system.
3. Describe then demonstrate the following stretch reflexes: patellar (knee-jerk) and plantar reflex
4. Describe then demonstrate the following protective reflex: pupillary light reflex

"The distinction between the structures (i.e., anatomy) of the peripheral and central nervous systems
and functions (i.e., physiology) of the somatic and autonomic systems can most easily be demonstrated
through a simple reflex action. When you touch a hot stove, you pull your hand away. Sensory
receptors in the skin sense extreme temperature and the early signs of tissue damage. This triggers an
action potential, which travels along the sensory fiber from the skin, through the dorsal spinal root to the
spinal cord, and directly activates a ventral horn motor neuron. That neuron sends a signal along its
axon to excite the biceps brachii, causing contraction of the muscle and flexion of the forearm at the
elbow to withdraw the hand from the hot stove."
OpenStax A&P pg. 600

Nerve Pathway = the route traveled by a nerve impulse through the nervous system.
1. Reflex arc = the simplest demonstration of a nerve pathway
a. involves 2-3 neurons;
b. involuntary response;
c. does not involve the brain;
d. Examples include:
o withdrawal (“from pain”) reflex; knee-jerk or patellar reflex
o crossed-extensor reflex; sneezing / blinking
2. Components of a Reflex arc:
a. A receptor…
b. Afferent (sensory) neuron
c. The integration center…interneuron ( a.k.a. internuncial neuron )
d. Efferent (motor) neuron…
e. An effector…
3. Uses of Reflexes:
a. to insure proper transmission of a nerve impulse from sensory receptor to
effector; to prevent tissue damage.

http://nursing411.org/Courses/MD0919_Nursing_care_sensory_neurologic/MD0919/images/MD0919_i
mg_10.jpg

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 https://www.78stepshealth.us/medical-terminology/labeling-exercise-174.html

Practice labeling the figure using this word bank.

Spinal Cord Word Bank

Cell body Dorsal Horn
Effector Ventral Horn

Spinal nerve White matter

Central canal Ventral root
Dorsal root Gray Matter
Interneuron Dorsal root ganglion

Motor neuron Receptor

Sensory neuron

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 http://ibbiologyhelp.com/OptionA/A4innateandlearnedbehaviour.htm

Stretch Reflex (Example: Patellar Reflex/knee-jerk)

The stretch reflex is a reflex in which stretching a muscle leads to its contraction. It is initiated by
tapping the patellar tendon, which stretches the muscle fibers (quadriceps) the tendon is attached to.
This stimulates the muscle's stretch receptor. Sensory neurons connected to the muscle spindles are
activated and carry the nerve impulse (through L2, L3 & L4 spinal nerves) to the spinal cord, where
they synapse onto motor neurons. These motor neurons carry the nerve impulse (through L2, L3 & L4
spinal nerves) back to the quadriceps muscle. The motor nerve passes the signal to the quadriceps
muscle which results in shortening the length of the muscle fibers and knee extension. The knee-jerk
reflex and has no CNS interneurons involved. Under normal circumstances, brain pathways descend
onto the same motor neurons, constantly modulating the strength of the stretch reflexes. Therefore,
stretch reflexes tend to be hypoactive or absent in cases of peripheral nerve damage, and hyperactive
in corticospinal tract lesions.

https://backyardbrains.com/experiments/Musclekneejerk
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Procedure of Patellar Reflex Test
a) Work in pairs. Have the subject sit on the edge of the examining table with his/her legs
dangling free.
b) Locate the patella, palpate the soft tissue depression on either side of the ligament.
c) Once located, gently strike the patellar ligament (just below the patella) with the wide flat
rubber end of the reflex hammer. The normal response is slight extension of the leg at the
knee.
d) Test the effect of mental distraction on the patellar reflex by having the subject add a column
of two-digit numbers while you test the reflex again. Is the response greater or less than the
first time?
e) Now test the effect of muscular activity occurring simultaneously in other areas of the body.
Tap the patellar ligament while the subject performs the Jendrassik's maneuver, that is, to
clasp his/her hands in front of him/her and, with fingers locked, trying to pull his/her hands
apart. Is the response greater or less than the first time?
f) Change places with your partner and repeat the procedure.

Plantar Reflex procedure

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK397/figure/A2410/?report=objectonly

Procedure of Plantar Reflex

a) Remove shoes and socks. Have the subject lie supine, with foot resting on the table.
b) Gently, but with firm pressure, use the handle side of the reflex hammer (the blunt side
very near the metal tip of the reflex hammer) to begin.
c) Start on the sole of the foot beginning with the heel, slowly moving up to under the pinky
toe, then arcing medially from under the pinky toe to end under the big toe in one slow,
continuous maneuver (it should take about 5-6 seconds to complete this procedure).
d) Change places with your partner and repeat the procedure.

Normal response is curling DOWN of the toes (Negative Babinski sign).

Abnormal response is dorsiflexion of the big toe (Positive Babinski sign).

The presence of the Babinski sign is always abnormal in adults, possibly indicating upper motor
neuron lesions such as corticospinal tract damage, multiple sclerosis or amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). It is normal in infants under 1 year of age

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Protective Reflex (Example: pupillary light reflex)

Shining a light into one eye activates sensory receptors in the retina of that eye. The signals are sent
via the optic nerve to the midbrain. Some optic nerve fibers synapse in the midbrain on the same side
that the eye was stimulated, while others cross and synapse in the midbrain on the opposite side. As a
result, the neurons in the midbrain process the signal on both sides of the brain. Outflow from these
neurons exits the brain within both oculomotor nerves, but does not go to the relay centers in the
thalamus that send signals to the cerebral cortex for visual processing. Components of these nerves
devoted to the pupillary light reflex synapse on parasympathetic neurons outside of the eye, activating
the smooth muscle cells of the pupillary sphincter muscle. Pupils of both eyes constrict due to the
bilateral processing in the midbrain. There is a direct pupillary light reflex in the eye that was originally
stimulated and a consensual pupillary light reflex in the other eye. One cannot suppress consciously
this protective reflex. Absence of the normal pupillary light reflex is generally an indication of severe
trauma or deterioration of the vital brain stem tissue

http://jayaeyecarecentre.com/eye-examination/pupillary-light-reflex/

Procedure of Pupillary Light Reflex Test

a) Conduct the reflex test in an area where the lighting is dim. Measure the size of the
subject's pupils using a metric ruler.
Rt. Pupil = _____________ mm; Lt. Pupil = _____________ mm
b) The subject should shield his/her right eye by holding a hand vertically between the right eye
and the right side of the nose.
c) Stand to the left of the subject, and shine a flashlight into the subject's left eye, observe the
change and measure the size of the subject's left pupils (direct pupillary light reflex).
Lt. Pupil = _____________ mm
d) Observe the change of the subject's right pupil (consensual pupillary light reflex), and
measure the right pupil size.
Rt. Pupil = _____________ mm
e) Change places with your partner and repeat the procedure.

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Problem Solving Activity
The following problem solving assessment is presented in a multiple-choice format. Each choice
should be considered individually and an argument should be written for accepting or rejecting it. Since
the problem has one best answer, there should be one argument for acceptance and four for rejection.

For each response, you must first state whether you are accepting or rejecting that statement. Then,
you must write a detailed explanation why you accept or reject each of the choices.

PROBLEM:

You are examining a patient complaining of numbness and tingling of the hand and fingers. How might
you determine whether this problem was due to pinching of nerve C8 or due to carpal tunnel syndrome
(i.e., compression of the median nerve along its course)?

A. The patient will not be able to squeeze an object with the hand and fingers if the median nerve is
involved; nerve C8 does not carry a motor supply to these muscles and cannot be involved.

B. The patient will be unable to extend the fingers if damage is to C8, since the median nerve is not
involved in this action.

C. The patient will have sensation impairment in the lateral three and a half digits but not in the medial
one and a half if the condition results from median nerve damage.

D. The patient will have sensation enhancement in the medial two digits and medial forearm if carpal
tunnel syndrome is involved.

E. Choices A and C both are correct.

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