Understanding Reflex Arcs Quiz

Reflexes

• A reflex is an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement or action in response to a stimulus.
• Reflexes are rapid and automatic responses to specific stimuli.

Reflex Arc

• Consists of five components: receptor, afferent fibers, integrating center, efferent fibers, and effector organ.
• The receptor detects the stimulus and sends a signal through the afferent fibers to the integrating center.
• The integrating center processes the information and sends a response signal through the efferent fibers to the effector organ.
• The effector organ produces the reflex response.

Somatic Motor Reflexes

• There are two types of somatic motor reflexes: monosynaptic and polysynaptic.
• Monosynaptic reflexes have one synapse between the sensory neuron and the motor neuron.
• Polysynaptic reflexes have multiple synapses between the sensory neuron, interneurons, and the motor neuron.

Autonomic Reflexes

• All autonomic reflexes are polysynaptic, with at least one synapse in the CNS and another in the autonomic ganglion.
• Autonomic reflexes involve the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiration.
• The pathway of an autonomic reflex includes: stimulus, receptor, sensory neuron, preganglionic autonomic neuron, autonomic ganglion, postganglionic autonomic neuron, and target cell.