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Questions and Answers
What is a reflex?
What is a reflex?
Which step in the reflex arc immediately follows the arrival of a stimulus?
Which step in the reflex arc immediately follows the arrival of a stimulus?
What allows reflex actions to occur quickly?
What allows reflex actions to occur quickly?
What is the role of the receptor in a reflex arc?
What is the role of the receptor in a reflex arc?
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During a reflex action, when does the brain receive sensory input?
During a reflex action, when does the brain receive sensory input?
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Which component of the reflex arc performs the action in response to the stimulus?
Which component of the reflex arc performs the action in response to the stimulus?
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What type of movement do reflexes represent?
What type of movement do reflexes represent?
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Study Notes
Reflexes
- Reflexes are rapid, automatic responses to stimuli.
- They are automatic reactions that happen without conscious thought.
- Reflexes involve a pathway called a reflex arc.
Nervous Coordination
- Stimuli are received by receptors (in sensory organs).
- Sensory neurons transmit impulses from the stimulus to the synapse.
- Impulses are transmitted in one direction only, through a synapse in the spinal cord.
- Relay neurons transmit signals in the spinal cord.
- Motor neurons transmit signals from the spinal cord to effectors (muscles or glands).
- Effectors carry out responses to stimuli.
Reflex Arc
- A reflex arc is a neural pathway that controls an action reflex.
- Reflex responses are fast and involuntary responses to stimuli.
- Five key steps in a reflex arc:
- Arrival of stimulus and activation of receptor
- Activation of sensory neuron
- Information processing
- Activation of motor neuron
- Response by effector
Spinal Cord and Reflexes
- Most sensory neurons synapse in the spinal cord, not directly in the brain.
- This allows reflexes to occur quickly without the delay of routing signals through the brain.
- The brain still receives sensory input during a reflex.
Senses
- There are five senses: touch, hearing, taste, smell, and sight.
- Sensory systems integrate the functions of the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Sensory Systems
- Sensory systems gather information about the body's internal conditions and external environments (light, sound, temperature).
- Sensory systems translate stimuli (light, sound, temperature) into electrical signals.
- Electrical signals are transmitted to the central nervous system, where they are interpreted.
Receptors
- Receptors are specialized cells or groups of nerve endings that respond to sensory stimuli (light, heat, other stimuli).
- Receptors transmit signals to sensory nerves.
- Examples of receptors include those in the retina of an octopus (20 million light receptors).
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Description
Explore the fascinating world of reflexes and nervous coordination. This quiz covers the reflex arc, the role of sensory and motor neurons, and how the spinal cord processes stimuli for rapid responses. Test your understanding of these crucial concepts in neuroscience.
