Spinal Reflexes

Spinal reflexes include the stretch reflex, the Golgi

tendon reflex, the crossed extensor reflex, and the
withdrawal reflex.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE[ EDIT ]
Distinguish between the types of spinal reflexes

KEY POINTS[ EDIT ]

o The stretch reflex is a monosynaptic reflex that regulates muscle length through
neuronal stimulation at the muscle spindle. The alpha motor neurons resist stretching by
causing contraction, and the gamma motor neurons control the sensitivity of the reflex.
o The stretch and Golgi tendon reflexes work in tandem to control muscle length and
tension. Both are examples of ipsilateral reflexes, meaning the reflex occurs on the same side of the
body as the stimulus.
o The crossed extensor reflex is a contralateral reflex that allows the body to compensate
on one side for a stimulus on the other. For example, when one foot steps on a nail, the crossed
extensor reflex shifts the body's weight onto the other foot, protecting and withdrawing the foot on
the nail.
o The withdrawal reflex and the more-specific pain withdrawal reflex involve withdrawal
in response to a stimulus (or pain). When pain receptors, called nociceptors, are stimulated,
reciprocal innervations stimulate the flexors to withdraw and inhibit the extensors to ensure they
are unable to prevent flexion and withdrawal.

TERMS[ EDIT ]
alpha motor neuron
These are large, lower motor neurons of the brainstem and spinal cord. They innervate the
extrafusal muscle fibers of skeletal muscle and are directly responsible for initiating their
contraction. Alpha motor neurons are distinct from gamma motor neurons that innervate the
intrafusal muscle fibers of muscle spindles.
golgi tendon reflex
A normal component of the reflex arc of the peripheral nervous system. In this reflex, a skeletal
muscle contraction causes the agonist muscle to simultaneously lengthen and relax. This reflex is
also called the inverse myotatic reflex because it is the inverse of the stretch reflex. Although muscle
tension is increasing during the contraction, the alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord that supply
the muscle are inhibited. However, antagonistic muscles are activated.
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FULL TEXT[ EDIT ]
Spinal reflexes include the stretch reflex, the Golgi tendon reflex, the crossed extensor

reflex, and the withdrawal reflex.

Stretch Reflex
The stretch reflex (myotatic reflex) is a muscle contraction in response to stretching within

the muscle. This reflex has the shortest latency of all spinal reflexes. It is a monosynaptic

reflex that provides automatic regulation of skeletal musclelength.

When a muscle lengthens, the muscle spindle is stretched and its nerve activity increases.

This increases alpha motor neuron activity, causing the muscle fibers to contract and thus

resist the stretching. A secondary set of neurons also causes the opposing muscle to relax.

The reflex functions to maintain the muscle at a constant length.

Golgi Tendon Reflex

The Golgi tendon reflex is a normal component of the reflex arc of

the peripheralnervous system. The tendon reflex operates as a feedback mechanism to

control muscle tension by causing muscle relaxation before muscle force becomes so

great that tendons might be torn.

Although the tendon reflex is less sensitive than the stretch reflex, it can override the

stretch reflex when tension is great, making you drop a very heavy weight, for example.

Like the stretch reflex, the tendon reflex is ipsilateral.

The sensory receptors for this reflex are called Golgi tendon receptors, and lie within a

tendon near its junction with a muscle. In contrast to muscle spindles, which are sensitive
to changes in muscle length, tendon organs detect and respond to changes in muscle

tension that are caused by a passive stretch or muscular contraction.

Crossed Extensor Reflex

The crossed extensor reflex is a withdrawal reflex. The reflex occurs when the flexors in the

withdrawing limb contract and the extensors relax, while in the other limb, the opposite

occurs. An example of this is when a person steps on a nail, the leg that is stepping on the

nail pulls away, while the other leg takes the weight of the whole body.

The crossed extensor reflex is contralateral, meaning the reflex occurs on the opposite side

of the body from the stimulus. To produce this reflex, branches of

the afferentnerve fibers cross from the stimulated side of the body to the contralateral

side of the spinal cord. There, they synapse with interneurons, which in turn, excite or

inhibit alpha motor neurons to the muscles of the contralateral limb.

Jendrassik maneuver

The Jendrassik maneuver is a medical maneuver wherein the patient flexes both sets of fingers into a hook-like
form and interlocks those sets of fingers together (note the hands of the patient in the chair). This maneuver is
used often when testing the patellar reflex, as it forces the patient to concentrate on the interlocking of the fingers
and prevents conscious inhibition or influence of the reflex.

This is an old black and white photograph of a doctor performing the Jendrassik maneuver on a patient.
The Jendrassik maneuver is a medical maneuver wherein the patient flexes both sets of fingers into a
hook-like form and interlocks those sets of fingers together (as the hands of the patient in the photo
demonstrate). This maneuver is used often when testing the patellar reflex, as it forces the patient to
concentrate on the interlocking of the fingers and prevents conscious inhibition or influence of the reflex.

Withdrawal Reflex
 The withdrawal reflex (nociceptive or flexor withdrawal reflex) is a spinal reflex intended

to protect the body from damaging stimuli. It is polysynaptic, and causes the stimulation

of sensory, association, and motor neurons.

When a person touches a hot object and withdraws his hand from it without thinking

about it, the heat stimulates temperature and danger receptors in the skin, triggering a

sensory impulse that travels to the central nervous system. The sensory neuron then

synapses with interneurons that connect to motor neurons. Some of these send motor

impulses to the flexors to allow withdrawal.

Some motor neurons send inhibitory impulses to the extensors so flexion is not inhibited

this is referred to as reciprocal innervation. Although this is a reflex, there are two

interesting aspects to it:

1. The body can be trained to override that reflex.

2. An unconscious body (or even drunk or drugged bodies) will not exhibit the reflex.
Golgi tendon organ

The Golgi tendon organ, responsible for the Golgi tendon reflex, is diagrammed with its typical position in a
muscle (left), neuronal connections in spinal cord (middle), and expanded schematic (right). The tendon organ is a
stretch receptor that signals the amount of force on the muscle and protects the muscle from excessively heavy
loads by causing the muscle to relax and drop the load.

The Golgi tendon organ, responsible for the Golgi tendon reflex, is diagrammed here. The first picture
shows its typical position in a muscle. The next picture shows its neuronal connections in the spinal cord.
The last picture is, expanded schematic of the tendon organ. The tendon organ is a stretch receptor that
signals the amount of force on the muscle and protects the muscle from excessively heavy loads by
causing the muscle to relax and drop the load.

Source: Boundless. Spinal Reflexes. Boundless Anatomy and Physiology Boundless, 12 Oct. 2016.
Retrieved 02 Mar. 2017 fromhttps://www.boundless.com/physiology/textbooks/boundless-anatomy-
and-physiology-textbook/peripheral-nervous-system-13/reflexes-136/spinal-reflexes-728-6473/

Source: Boundless. Spinal Reflexes. Boundless Anatomy and Physiology Boundless, 12 Oct. 2016. Retrieved 02 Mar.
2017 from https://www.boundless.com/physiology/textbooks/boundless-anatomy-and-physiology-textbook/peripheral-
nervous-system-13/reflexes-136/spinal-reflexes-728-6473/

PDF - http://www.lamission.edu/lifesciences/lecturenote/AliPhysio1/Chap%206%20Reflexes.pdf

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