this will be fruitful for bsc nursing and msc nursing students

1. REFLEXES
Prepared by,
Vipin Chandran
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2. Definition
Coordinated
involuntary motor response
initiated by stimulus,
applied to peripheral receptors.
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3. REFLEX ARC
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4. Classification of reflexes
REFLEXES
Clinical
classification
Superficial
Deep
Visceral
Pathological
Anatomic
classification
Segmental
Intersegmental
Suprasegmental
No. of
synapses
Monosynaptic
Bisynaptic
Polysynaptic
Functional
classification
Flexor
Extensor
Righting
Postural
Withdrawal
Conditioned
Unconditioned
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5. Clinical classification
• Superficial - stimulating superficial structures
• Deep – stimulating receptors deep in muscle.
• Visceral – stimulating receptors in viscera.
• Pathological – present only during abnormality
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6. Anatomic classification
• Segmental – reflex arc pass through one
anatomic segment . Ex : knee jerk
• Intersegmental – involve greater than one
segment
Ex : crossed extensor response.
• Suprasegmental – involve interaction with
suprasegmental components.
Ex: postural reflexes (head-limb)
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7. Number of synapses
• Asynaptic axon reflex
• Monosynaptic stretch reflex
• Bisynaptic reciprocal innervation
• Polysynaptic superficial reflex
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8. Functional classification
• Flexor reflexes
• Extensor reflexes
• Righting reflexes
• Postural reflexes
• Withdrawal reflexes
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9. Others
• Unconditioned reflexes – inborn or inherent
reflexes .
• Conditioned reflexes – acquired reflexes.
Secretion of saliva when food is kept in mouth is
unconditioned reflex and,
secretion even with thought is ‘conditioned’.
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