Reflex response

Browse A-Z

Bookmarks

Bookmark

E-mail Form

Email Results

Name:

Email address:

Recipients Name:

Recipients address:

Message:

Reflex response

Most of the time, the skeletal muscles are under voluntary, or conscious, control. However, their movement can also be induced by involuntary reflexes. Reflexes are involuntary reactions to a stimulus. In this example, the sensation of hot oatmeal on the skin causes this man’s hand to quickly withdraw to prevent further injury. Let’s look at an instant replay to see how this reflex response works. As soon as the hot oatmeal contacts the hand, the pain receptors send a signal to the spinal cord. In turn, the spinal cord sends a signal back to the arm muscles that make him pull his hand away. Because the arm flexed as it withdrew, this reflex is really known as a flexor, or withdrawal, reflex. There are many other reflexes that protect the body as well. If this man didn't have the reflexes to let him withdraw quickly from a painful stimulus, he would be at risk for serious injury.

Reflex response

Review Date: 11/2/2021

Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.