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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of the inverse stretch reflex?
What is the primary function of the inverse stretch reflex?
Which type of reflex is characterized by the contraction of all the flexor muscles in a limb in response to a noxious stimulus?
Which type of reflex is characterized by the contraction of all the flexor muscles in a limb in response to a noxious stimulus?
What is the main action of the flexor reflex on the alpha motor neurons?
What is the main action of the flexor reflex on the alpha motor neurons?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the withdrawal reflex?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the withdrawal reflex?
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What is the role of the gamma loop in regulating muscle tone?
What is the role of the gamma loop in regulating muscle tone?
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Which segments of the spinal cord are involved in the withdrawal reflex of the thoracic limb?
Which segments of the spinal cord are involved in the withdrawal reflex of the thoracic limb?
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What is the term for the muscle's continuous resistance to being stretched?
What is the term for the muscle's continuous resistance to being stretched?
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What is the purpose of evaluating extensor tone during a neurological examination?
What is the purpose of evaluating extensor tone during a neurological examination?
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What is the relationship between the intensity of the noxious stimulus and the response of the withdrawal reflex?
What is the relationship between the intensity of the noxious stimulus and the response of the withdrawal reflex?
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Where are the cell bodies of upper motor neurons located?
Where are the cell bodies of upper motor neurons located?
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What is the primary function of the upper motor neuron system?
What is the primary function of the upper motor neuron system?
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What happens when inhibitory upper motor neurons are lost?
What happens when inhibitory upper motor neurons are lost?
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What is the result of a loss of facilitatory upper motor neurons?
What is the result of a loss of facilitatory upper motor neurons?
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What is the term for uncoordinated movement?
What is the term for uncoordinated movement?
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What is the term for weakness of voluntary movement?
What is the term for weakness of voluntary movement?
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What is the role of upper motor neurons in regulating lower motor neurons?
What is the role of upper motor neurons in regulating lower motor neurons?
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What is the term for the loss of motor function?
What is the term for the loss of motor function?
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What is the result of a loss of upper motor neurons on muscle tone?
What is the result of a loss of upper motor neurons on muscle tone?
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What type of reflex is the patellar reflex primarily classified as?
What type of reflex is the patellar reflex primarily classified as?
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Which nerve is involved in the patellar reflex?
Which nerve is involved in the patellar reflex?
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What is the cord segment involved in the patellar reflex?
What is the cord segment involved in the patellar reflex?
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What is the primary action of the patellar reflex?
What is the primary action of the patellar reflex?
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What is the receptor sensitive to in the Golgi tendon organ reflex?
What is the receptor sensitive to in the Golgi tendon organ reflex?
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What is the purpose of the reciprocal inhibition in the patellar reflex?
What is the purpose of the reciprocal inhibition in the patellar reflex?
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What is the name of the receptor that detects muscle stretch in the patellar reflex?
What is the name of the receptor that detects muscle stretch in the patellar reflex?
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What is the function of the Golgi tendon organ reflex?
What is the function of the Golgi tendon organ reflex?
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What is the patellar reflex also known as?
What is the patellar reflex also known as?
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What is the method to test the motor system in animals?
What is the method to test the motor system in animals?
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What is the normal response when pressure is applied to the plantar or palmar surface of the pelvic or thoracic limbs in animals?
What is the normal response when pressure is applied to the plantar or palmar surface of the pelvic or thoracic limbs in animals?
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How many main components can the motor system be divided into?
How many main components can the motor system be divided into?
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What is the origin of Lower Motor Neurons (LMN) in the spinal cord?
What is the origin of Lower Motor Neurons (LMN) in the spinal cord?
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Where do Upper Motor Neurons (UMN) typically originate?
Where do Upper Motor Neurons (UMN) typically originate?
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What is the function of Upper Motor Neurons (UMN)?
What is the function of Upper Motor Neurons (UMN)?
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What is the name of the pathway that Upper Motor Neurons (UMN) belong to?
What is the name of the pathway that Upper Motor Neurons (UMN) belong to?
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What is the direction of the green arrowheads in the diagram?
What is the direction of the green arrowheads in the diagram?
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What type of synapse occurs between Upper Motor Neurons and Lower Motor Neurons?
What type of synapse occurs between Upper Motor Neurons and Lower Motor Neurons?
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What is the result of loss of facilitatory UMNs?
What is the result of loss of facilitatory UMNs?
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What is the primary function of LMNs?
What is the primary function of LMNs?
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What is the characteristic of muscle tone in LMN lesions?
What is the characteristic of muscle tone in LMN lesions?
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What is the characteristic of muscle atrophy in UMN lesions?
What is the characteristic of muscle atrophy in UMN lesions?
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What is the location of UMNs in the CNS?
What is the location of UMNs in the CNS?
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What is the level of the spinal cord where LMNs innervating the limbs are confined?
What is the level of the spinal cord where LMNs innervating the limbs are confined?
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What is the result of a high cervical lesion?
What is the result of a high cervical lesion?
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What is the characteristic of reflexes in UMN lesions?
What is the characteristic of reflexes in UMN lesions?
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What is the problem in a lesion that results in paresis or paralysis, with decreased to absent muscle tone and reflexes?
What is the problem in a lesion that results in paresis or paralysis, with decreased to absent muscle tone and reflexes?
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Study Notes
Patellar Reflex (Quadriceps, Knee-Jerk Reflex)
- Elicited by tapping the tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle located immediately distal to the patella
- Tests the stretch reflex mediated by the femoral nerve
- This is the most reliable test of the stretch reflex
- Cord segment involved: L4, L5, L6
Stretch Reflex
- Main action: contraction
- Secondary action: reciprocal inhibition, inactivation of antagonist muscle
- Stretch reflexes and other muscle contractions often accompanied by reciprocal inhibition, which prevents muscles from working against each other
Inverse Stretch Reflex (Golgi Tendon Organ Reflex)
- Main action: reduced stimulation, inhibited at the level of the spinal cord
- Secondary action: reciprocal stimulation
- Responds to contraction, causes muscle relaxation, and prevents excessive tension on the muscle
Flexor Reflex (Withdrawal Reflex)
- Coordinated polysynaptic reflex in which all the flexor muscles of a limb contract in response to a noxious stimulus
- Alpha motor neurons to the limb flexor muscles are stimulated, while those to extensor muscles are inhibited
- Reciprocal innervation
- The force and duration of the withdrawal reflex are proportional to the intensity of the noxious stimulus applied
Extensor Tone
- Muscle tone is important for maintaining normal posture and providing support for the joints to stabilize their position
- It refers to the muscle's continuous resistance to being stretched (resting tension)
- It is regulated by the local spinal cord reflexes and by higher levels of the brain
- Muscle tone (extensor tone) is evaluated during neurological examination
Motor System
- Can be divided into 2 main components: Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) and Lower Motor Neuron (LMN)
- Upper Motor Neurons:
- Completely contained within the CNS
- Cell body is located in a motor nucleus of the brainstem or the motor cortex of the forebrain
- Their axons connect to lower motor neurons
- Exert their effect by stimulating or inhibiting LMNs
- UMN system is responsible for initiation of voluntary movement, maintenance of muscle tone for support against gravity, and regulation of posture
- Lower Motor Neurons:
- Cell body is located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord or in cranial nerve nuclei
- Their axons directly innervate skeletal muscle
- LMNs are responsible for the transmission of motor signals to muscles
Upper Motor Neurons vs. Lower Motor Neurons
- UMN signs:
- Paresis or paralysis
- Normal to increased reflexes
- Normal to increased extensor muscle tone
- Mild/chronic muscle atrophy
- LMN signs:
- Paresis or paralysis
- Decreased to absent reflexes
- Decreased to absent extensor muscle tone
- Severe/fast muscle atrophy
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Description
A short quiz on the patellar reflex, a monosynaptic reflex involving the quadriceps femoris muscle and the spinal cord alpha motor neurons.