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单词 reflex
释义

reflex


re·flex

R0116400 (rē′flĕks′)adj.1. Physiology Being an involuntary action or response, such as a sneeze, blink, or hiccup.2. Produced as an automatic response or reaction: reflex opposition to change.3. Bent, turned, or thrown back; reflected.4. Reflexed.n.1. a. Physiology An involuntary response to a stimulus.b. reflexes A person's ability to respond to new or changing stimuli: His quick reflexes make him a good taxi driver.2. Psychology An unlearned or instinctive response to a stimulus.3. Linguistics A form or feature that reflects or represents an earlier, often reconstructed, form or feature having undergone phonetic or other change.4. a. Something, such as light or heat, that is reflected.b. An image produced by reflection.c. A copy or reproduction.
[From Middle English reflexen, to refract light, bend back, from Latin reflexus, past participle of reflectere, to bend back; see reflect.]

reflex

n 1. (Physiology) a. an immediate involuntary response, esp one that is innate, such as coughing or removal of the hand from a hot surface, evoked by a given stimulusb. (as modifier): a reflex action. See also reflex arc 2. (Psychology) a. a mechanical response to a particular situation, involving no conscious decisionb. (as modifier): a reflex response. 3. (General Physics) a reflection; an image produced by or as if by reflection 4. (Linguistics) a speech element derived from a corresponding form in an earlier state of the language: "sorrow" is a reflex of Middle English "sorwe". adj 5. (Mathematics) maths (of an angle) between 180° and 360° 6. (prenominal) turned, reflected, or bent backwards vb (tr) to bend, turn, or reflect backwards [C16: from Latin reflexus bent back, from reflectere to reflect] reˈflexible adj reˌflexiˈbility n

re•flex

(adj., n. ˈri flɛks; v. rɪˈflɛks)

adj. 1. noting or pertaining to an involuntary response to a stimulus, the nerve impulse from a receptor being transmitted inward to a nerve center that in turn transmits it outward to an effector. 2. occurring in reaction; responsive. 3. cast back; reflected, as light or color. 4. bent or turned back. n. 5. a. Also called re′flex act`. movement caused by a reflex response. b. Also called re′flex ac`tion. the entire physiological process activating such movement. 6. any automatic, unthinking, often habitual behavior or response. 7. the reflected image of an object. 8. a reproduction, as if in a mirror. 9. a copy; adaptation. 10. reflected light, color, etc. 11. an element in a language, as a sound, that has developed from a corresponding element in an earlier form of the language: The(ō)in stone is a reflex of Old English ā. v.t. 12. to subject to a reflex process. 13. to bend, turn, or fold back. [1500–10; < Latin reflexus, past participle of reflectere to bend back; see reflect] re′flex•ly, adv.

re·flex

(rē′flĕks′) An automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus, as the withdrawal of a body part from a painful stimulus such as burning heat.

reflex


Past participle: reflexed
Gerund: reflexing
Imperative
reflex
reflex
Present
I reflex
you reflex
he/she/it reflexes
we reflex
you reflex
they reflex
Preterite
I reflexed
you reflexed
he/she/it reflexed
we reflexed
you reflexed
they reflexed
Present Continuous
I am reflexing
you are reflexing
he/she/it is reflexing
we are reflexing
you are reflexing
they are reflexing
Present Perfect
I have reflexed
you have reflexed
he/she/it has reflexed
we have reflexed
you have reflexed
they have reflexed
Past Continuous
I was reflexing
you were reflexing
he/she/it was reflexing
we were reflexing
you were reflexing
they were reflexing
Past Perfect
I had reflexed
you had reflexed
he/she/it had reflexed
we had reflexed
you had reflexed
they had reflexed
Future
I will reflex
you will reflex
he/she/it will reflex
we will reflex
you will reflex
they will reflex
Future Perfect
I will have reflexed
you will have reflexed
he/she/it will have reflexed
we will have reflexed
you will have reflexed
they will have reflexed
Future Continuous
I will be reflexing
you will be reflexing
he/she/it will be reflexing
we will be reflexing
you will be reflexing
they will be reflexing
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been reflexing
you have been reflexing
he/she/it has been reflexing
we have been reflexing
you have been reflexing
they have been reflexing
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been reflexing
you will have been reflexing
he/she/it will have been reflexing
we will have been reflexing
you will have been reflexing
they will have been reflexing
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been reflexing
you had been reflexing
he/she/it had been reflexing
we had been reflexing
you had been reflexing
they had been reflexing
Conditional
I would reflex
you would reflex
he/she/it would reflex
we would reflex
you would reflex
they would reflex
Past Conditional
I would have reflexed
you would have reflexed
he/she/it would have reflexed
we would have reflexed
you would have reflexed
they would have reflexed
Thesaurus
Noun1.reflex - an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulusreflex - an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulusinborn reflex, innate reflex, instinctive reflex, physiological reaction, reflex action, reflex response, unconditioned reflexaccommodation reflex - reflex changes in the eyes that enable an object to be focused on the retinaBabinski, Babinski reflex, Babinski sign - extension upward of the toes when the sole of the foot is stroked firmly on the outer side from the heel to the front; normal in infants under the age of two years but a sign of brain or spinal cord injury in older personsbelch, burp, burping, eructation, belching - a reflex that expels gas noisily from the stomach through the mouthblink, blinking, eye blink, nictation, nictitation, winking, wink - a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidlyblush, flush - sudden reddening of the face (as from embarrassment or guilt or shame or modesty)disgorgement, emesis, puking, vomiting, regurgitation, vomit - the reflex act of ejecting the contents of the stomach through the mouthdefecation reflex, rectal reflex - normal response to the presence of feces in the rectumyawn, yawning, oscitance, oscitancy - an involuntary intake of breath through a wide open mouth; usually triggered by fatigue or boredom; "he could not suppress a yawn"; "the yawning in the audience told him it was time to stop"; "he apologized for his oscitancy"electrical shock, shock, electric shock - a reflex response to the passage of electric current through the body; "subjects received a small electric shock when they made the wrong response"; "electricians get accustomed to occasional shocks"breaking wind, fart, farting, flatus, wind - a reflex that expels intestinal gas through the anusgulping, gulp - a spasmodic reflex of the throat made as if in swallowingresponse, reaction - a bodily process occurring due to the effect of some antecedent stimulus or agent; "a bad reaction to the medicine"; "his responses have slowed with age"knee jerk, knee-jerk reflex, patellar reflex - a reflex extension of the leg resulting from a sharp tap on the patellar tendonlight reflex, pupillary reflex, miosis, myosis - reflex contraction of the sphincter muscle of the iris in response to a bright light (or certain drugs) causing the pupil to become smallermydriasis - reflex pupillary dilation as a muscle pulls the iris outward; occurs in response to a decrease in light or certain drugsmicturition reflex - relaxation of the urethral sphincter in response to increased pressure in the bladdergag reflex, pharyngeal reflex - normal reflex consisting of retching; may be produced by touching the soft palate in the back of the mouthgoose bump, goose pimple, goose skin, goosebump, gooseflesh, horripilation, pilomotor reflex - reflex erection of hairs of the skin in response to cold or emotional stress or skin irritationplantar reflex - flexion of the toes when the sole of the foot is stroked firmly on the outer side from the heel to the front in persons over the age of 2 years; under 2 years the results should be extension of the toes (Babinski reflex)rooting reflex - reflex consisting of head-turning and sucking movements elicited in a normal infant by gently stroking the side of the mouth or cheekstartle, jump, start - a sudden involuntary movement; "he awoke with a start"myotactic reflex, stretch reflex - reflex contraction of a muscle when an attached tendon is pulled; important in maintaining erect posturesuckling reflex - reflex behavior in newborn mammals; includes finding and grasping the nipple in the mouth and sucking on it and swallowing the milkshiver, tremble, shake - a reflex motion caused by cold or fear or excitementsneeze, sneezing, sternutation - a symptom consisting of the involuntary expulsion of air from the nosehiccough, hiccup, singultus - (usually plural) the state of having reflex spasms of the diaphragm accompanied by a rapid closure of the glottis producing an audible sound; sometimes a symptom of indigestion; "how do you cure the hiccups?"
Adj.1.reflex - without volition or conscious controlreflex - without volition or conscious control; "the automatic shrinking of the pupils of the eye in strong light"; "a reflex knee jerk"; "sneezing is reflexive"reflexive, automaticphysiology - the branch of the biological sciences dealing with the functioning of organismsinvoluntary - controlled by the autonomic nervous system; without conscious control; "involuntary muscles"; "gave an involuntary start"

reflex

noun automatic, spontaneous, instinctive, involuntary, impulsive, knee-jerk, unthinking I turned to look inside the house in a reflex action.

reflex

adjectiveActing or happening without apparent forethought, prompting, or planning:automatic, impulsive, instinctive, involuntary, spontaneous, unpremeditated.nounImitative reproduction, as of the style of another:echo, imitation, reflection, repetition.
Translations
反射反射作用反射作用的反射的反应能力

reflex

(ˈriːfleks) noun, adjective (an action which is) automatic or not intended. The doctor tapped the patient's knee in order to test his reflexes; a reflex action. 反射的(動作),本能的反應 反应能力,反射作用反射,反射的

reflex

反射zhCN

reflex


reflex:

see nervous systemnervous system,
network of specialized tissue that controls actions and reactions of the body and its adjustment to the environment. Virtually all members of the animal kingdom have at least a rudimentary nervous system.
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Reflex

A simple, unlearned, yet specific behavioral response to a specific stimulus. Reflexes are exhibited by virtually all animals from protozoa to primates. Along with other, more complex stimulus-bound responses such as fixed action patterns, they constitute much of the behavioral repertoire of invertebrates. In higher animals, such as primates, where learned behavior dominates, reflexes nevertheless persist as an important component of total behavior.

The simplest known reflexes require only one neuron or, in the strictest sense, none. For example, ciliated protozoa, which are single cells and have no neurons, nevertheless exhibit apparently reflexive behaviors. However, most reflexes require activity in a large sequence of neurons. The neurons involved in most reflexes are connected by specific synapses to form functional units in the nervous system. Such a sequence begins with sensory neurons and ends with effector cells such as skeletal muscles, smooth muscles, and glands, which are controlled by motor neurons. The central neurons which are often interposed between the sensory and motor neurons are called interneurons. The sensory side of the reflex arc conveys specificity as to which reflex will be activated. The remainder of the reflex response is governed by the specific synaptic connections that lead to the effector neurons. A familiar reflex is the knee-jerk or stretch reflex. It involves the patellar (kneecap) tendon and a group of upper leg muscles. Other muscle groups show similar reflexes.

Reflex

 

in painting and, less commonly, in the other graphic arts, light and color represented as reflected from one object (or the sky) onto another object. The term “reflex” applies in this sense to both real objects and their depictions. Accurate and subtle depiction of reflex helps to convey the three-dimensionality and the wealth of colors of real objects.


Reflex

 

a response of an organism mediated by the central nervous system after stimulation of receptors by internal or external environmental agents; it is manifested by the occurrence of or change in the functional activity of individual organs or the body as a whole. The term “reflex,” adopted from the physical sciences, emphasizes the fact that nervous activity is “reflected,” that is, it is a response to influences from the external or internal environment. The structural mechanism of a reflex is the reflex arc, which includes receptors, a sensory (afferent) nerve that conducts excitation from receptors to the brain or spinal cord, a nerve center located in the brain and spinal cord, and an efferent nerve, which conducts excitation from the brain or spinal cord to effector organs, that is, muscles, glands, and internal organs. The biological significance of reflexes consists in the regulation of the work of organs and their functional interactions to maintain the stability of the organism’s internal environment (homeostasis) while preserving its integrity and ability to adapt to the external environment. The reflex activity of the nervous system assures the organism’s functional integrity and controls the organism’s interaction with the external environment, that is, its behavior.

History of the study of reflexes. The concept of reflexes was first conceived by the French philosopher Descartes. The ancient physicians, for example, Galen in the second century, divided human motor actions into voluntary actions, which require the participation of consciousness in their execution, and involuntary actions, which are performed without the participation of consciousness. Descartes’s teaching on the reflex principle of nervous activity was based on the mechanism of involuntary movements. The entire process of nervous activity, characterized by automatism and involuntariness, consists in stimulation of the sensory apparatus and conduction of the apparatus’ impulses along peripheral nerves to the brain and from the brain to the muscles. As examples, Descartes cited blinking in response to the sudden appearance of an object before one’s eyes and withdrawal of a limb after the sudden application of a painful stimulus. He described the impulses conducted along peripheral nerves by the term “animal spirits,” which he borrowed from the ancient physicians. Despite the spiritual aura surrounding the term, Descartes attached to it actual and, for his time, completely scientific significance based on ideas from mechanics, kinematics, and hydraulics.

The studies of such 18th-century physiologists and anatomists as A. von Haller and G. Prochaska freed Descartes’s ideas from metaphysical terminology and mechanicism and applied them to the activity of the internal organs (several reflexes specific to various organs were found). C. Bell and F. Magendie made very important contributions to the understanding of reflexes and the reflex apparatus by showing that sensory (afferent) fibers enter the spinal cord as part of the posterior roots, while efferent fibers, such as motor ones, leave it as part of the anterior roots. This discovery enabled M. Hall, a British physician and physiologist, to advance clear-cut ideas on the reflex arc and make extensive clinical use of the theory of reflexes and the reflex arc.

Information was available by the second half of the 19th century on common elements in the mechanisms of both voluntary movements wholly related to manifestations of cerebral activity and involuntary automatic reflex actions, counterposed to cerebral activity. In his study Brain Reflexes (1863), I. M. Sechenov contended that all conscious and unconscious actions are reflex in origin. He substantiated the idea of the universal significance of the reflex principle in the functions of the spinal cord and brain for both involuntary and voluntary movements involving consciousness and cerebral activity. Sechenov’s concept enabled I. P. Pavlov to discover conditioned reflexes. Sechenov’s discovery of central inhibition is the most important aspect of the reflex theory. C. Sherrington, N. E. Vvedenskii, A. A. Ukhtomskii, and I. S. Beritashvili provided evidence that the reflexes of individual arcs are coordinated and integrated in the functional activity of organs based on the interaction of excitation and inhibition in the reflex centers.

The concept of the cellular organization of the nervous system plays an important role in elucidating the mechanisms of reflex action. The Spanish histologist S. Ramon y Cajal showed that the neuron is the structural and functional unit of the nervous system. This gave rise to the concept of the neuronal organization of reflex arcs and substantiated the concept of the synapse, the apparatus of interneuronal contact, and synaptic (that is, interneuronal) transmission of excitatory and inhibitory impulses in the reflex arcs (Sherrington, 1906).

Classification. The variety of reflexes led to the development of different classifications. Reflexes may be classified according to the anatomical arrangement of the central part of the reflex arcs, which are their nerve centers, as (1) spinal, involving neurons situated in the spinal cord, (2) bulbar, executed with the participation of medulla oblongata neurons, (3) mesencephalic, executed with the participation of midbrain neurons, or (4) cortical, executed with the participation of cerebrocortical neurons. According to the location of the reflexogenic zones, or receptive fields, reflexes are exteroceptive, proprioceptive, or interoceptive.

Reflexes can also be classified according to type and function of the effectors as motor reflexes (of skeletal muscles)—for example, flexor, extensor, locomotor, and statokinetic—or as autonomic reflexes of the internal organs—digestive, cardiovascular, excretory, and secretory. Depending on the degree of complexity of the neuronal organization of the reflex arcs, they can be subdivided into monosynaptic reflexes, whose arcs consist of an afferent neuron and an efferent neuron, such as the patellar reflex, or multisynaptic reflexes, whose arcs also contain one or more interneurons, such as the flexor reflex. With respect to their influence on effector activity, reflexes can be excitatory, that is, causing or intensifying (facilitating) effector activity, or inhibitory, that is, weakening and suppressing such activity, for example, the reflex acceleration of the heartbeat by the sympathetic nerve and retardation or cessation of the heartbeat by the vagus nerve.

Reflexes can also be classified according to their biological significance for the organism as a whole, for example, the defense (or protective), sexual, and orienting reflexes.

Pavlov justified dividing all reflexes according to origin, mechanism, and biological significance into unconditioned and conditioned reflexes. The former are hereditarily fixed and species-specific, which determines the constancy of the reflex connection between the afferent and efferent elements of their arcs. Conditioned reflexes are acquired during an individual’s lifetime as a result of a temporary connection (conditioned closure) between the various afferent and efferent apparatus of the organism. Since a conditioned temporary connection is formed in higher animals (vertebrates) with the necessary participation of the cerebral cortex, conditioned reflexes are also called cortical reflexes.

The biological function of unconditioned reflexes consists in regulating homeostasis and in preserving the integrity of the organism, whereas the function of conditioned reflexes is to ensure the most delicate adaptation possible to changing external conditions.

The term “reflex” is also applied to other reactions, even though the central nervous system is not involved, for example, axon reflexes and local reflexes executed by the peripheral nervous system.

Mechanism and properties. Reflexes are normally elicited by stimulation of the appropriate reflexogenic zones by external or internal agents, that is, by adequate stimuli of the receptors of these zones. The excitation that arises in the receptors—discharge of impulses—is conducted by afferent nerve conductors to the brain or spinal cord, where it is transmitted from an afferent neuron either directly to an efferent neuron (two-neuron arc) or through one or more interneurons (polyneuron arc). In the efferent neurons, excitation is transmitted by efferent nerve fibers in the reverse direction—from the brain or spinal cord to the various peripheral organs (effectors), for example, skeletal muscles, glands, and blood vessels—and a reflex response is induced, that is, a change in functional activity occurs.

The reflex response always lags behind the start of stimulation of the receptors. This lag time is called latency period. It varies, according to the complexity of the reflex, from a millisecond to several seconds.

Excitation is conducted in the reflex arcs in one direction, from the afferent neuron to the efferent one—never in the opposite direction. This property of reflex conduction is attributable to the chemical mechanism of interneuronal synaptic transmission, which consists basically in the formation and release by nerve endings of specific chemical mediators, for example, acetylcholine and epinephrine, that excite or inhibit the neurons with which the particular endings form synaptic contacts.

The properties of reflexes—intensity, duration, and dynamics—are determined both by the conditions of stimulation (adequacy, force, duration, location) and by the function state (background) of the reflex apparatus itself (excitability, impulses from other nerve centers, fatigue) and other internal factors.

Integration and coordination. Reflexes do not occur in isolation. They are combined (integrated) into complex reflex acts of definite functional and biological significance. For example, the very simple reflex response of an extremity to pain—the flexion reflex (flexing and withdrawal of an extremity)—is a complex multicomponent action involving the involuntary contraction of some muscles, inhibition of others, and changes in respiratory and cardiac activity. The organization of reflexes that control behavior, such as the orienting, food-procuring, defense, and sexual reflexes, is even more complex. Such reflexes include elements involving all the organs to some degree.

The processes responsible for the integration of reflexes are designated by the term “coordination.” Coordination entails essentially the combining of excitation and inhibition in the system of neurons that participate in the formation of reflexes of different complexities. The intimate nature of the mechanisms of these interactions is studied specifically by the technique of microelectrode intracellular recording of electrical reactions of neurons when the reflexes are elicited by stimulation of the receptors or afferent nerves. The synaptic apparatus of the neurons, which contains from a few hundred to 5,000 or 6,000 synaptic contacts per neuron, has both excitatory and inhibitory synapses. When the former are active due to the influx of impulses, a negative electrical reaction arises in the neuron and stimulates the discharge of other impulses. When the latter are active, a positive electrical reaction occurs that inhibits or blocks the transmission of excitation in the neuron. The quantitative relations of the activation of the synapses (number and intensity) determine the significance and extent of participation of the reflex center neurons in the execution of a particular reflex.

The coordination process that integrates reflexes of different complexities can be regarded as a distribution of excitation and inhibition in the neuronal systems involved in the execution of these reactions in accordance with a definite spatial and temporal program corresponding to these reactions. Biological cybernetics studies the factors that give rise to principles of shaping these programs. A high degree of coordination of movements is achieved by the feedback mechanism. The broad convergence in interneuronal relations characterized by hundreds and thousands of synaptic contacts of neurons with other neurons performing different functional roles is the basis for the assumption that the mechanisms of reflex action rest on a stochastic (probabilistic) principle rather than on a static, predetermined organization of reflex arcs.

P. A. KISELEV

Pathologic reflexes. Two types of pathologic reflexes are distinguished. The first type includes reflexes that are unusual in adults (they are sometimes peculiar to earlier stages of phylogeny or ontogeny) and that are manifested after structural or functional injury to different parts of the central nervous system. They are used in the diagnosis of neurological diseases (for example, Babinski’s reflex and the pathologic sucking reflex). The condition in which reflexes are of low intensity or absent is called hyporeflexia or areflexia, respectively. If reflexes are exaggerated or uneven, the condition is called hyperreflexia or anisoreflexia, respectively.

The second type of pathologic reflex includes inadequate and, from the biological standpoint, inappropriate responses to some, usually superstrong, internal or external stimulus.

A distinction is made between pathologic unconditioned and conditioned reflexes. Among the former are the pulmonocoronary reflex (cardiac arrest following irritation of some part of the tunica intima of the pulmonary artery by a foreign body), renorenal reflex (spasm of one ureter following irritation of the other by a calculus), and hepatocoronary reflex (spasm of coronary vessels during an attack of hepatic colic). The decisive factor in the formation of pathologic unconditioned reflexes is parabiosis, a phenomenon that develops in nerve structures as a result of superstrong stimulation and, as shown by N. E. Vvedenskii (1901) and I. P. Razenkov (1923–24), is responsible for the paradoxical nature of the responses.

Pathologic conditioned reflexes are induced by stimuli that are by nature indifferent as far as the body is concerned but are previously combined with superstrong unconditioned stimuli. For example, the coronary spasm that results from climbing a mountain in windy weather (stress stenocardia) may recur if the patient merely descends from the mountain in good weather. Pathologic conditioned reflexes differ from ordinary (physiological) conditioned reflexes in that they are formed after a single combination of stimuli and persist a long time without reinforcement. Pathologic reflexes may underlie some internal diseases.

V. A. FROLOV

REFERENCES

Vvedenskii, N. E. Vozbuzhdenie, tormozhenie i narkoz: Sobr. soch., vol. 4. Leningrad, 1935.
Anokhin, P. K. Ot Dekarta do Pavlova. Moscow, 1945.
Ukhtomskii, A. A. “Ocherk fiziologii nervnoi sistemy,” sections 1–2. Sobr. soch., vol. 4. Leningrad, 1945. Pages 5–129.
Pavlov, I. P. “Lektsiia o rabote bol’shikh polusharii golovnogo mozga.” Poln. sobr. soch., 2nd ed., vol. 4. Moscow-Leningrad, 1951.
Sechenov, I. M. “Refleksy golovnogo mozga.” Izbr.proizv., vol. 1. Moscow, 1952. Pages 7–127.
Kiselev, P. A. “Problema tsentral’nogo tormozheniia v trudakh I. M. Sechenova.” In Soznanie i refleks. Moscow-Leningrad, 1966.
Beritov, I. S. Obshchaia fiziologiia myshechnoi i nervnoi sistemy, vol. 2. Moscow, 1966.
Sherrington, C. Integrativnaia deiatel’nost’ nervnoi sistemy. Leningrad, 1969. (Translated from English.)
Kostiuk, P. G. Fiziologiia tsentral’noi nervnoi sistemy. Kiev, 1971.

reflex

[′rē‚fleks] (physiology) An automatic response mediated by the nervous system.

reflex

1. a. an immediate involuntary response, esp one that is innate, such as coughing or removal of the hand from a hot surface, evoked by a given stimulus b. (as modifier): a reflex action 2. a. a mechanical response to a particular situation, involving no conscious decision b. (as modifier): a reflex response 3. a reflection; an image produced by or as if by reflection 4. Maths (of an angle) between 180? and 360?

See reflex

reflex


reflex

 [re´fleks] a reflected action or movement; the sum total of any particular automatic response mediated by the nervous system. A reflex is built into the nervous system and does not need the intervention of conscious thought to take effect.

The knee jerk is an example of the simplest type of reflex. When the knee is tapped, the nerve that receives this stimulus sends an impulse to the spinal cord, where it is relayed to a motor nerve. This causes the quadriceps muscle at the front of the thigh to contract and jerk the leg up. This reflex, or simple reflex arc, involves only two nerves and one synapse. The leg begins to jerk up while the brain is just becoming aware of the tap.
Other simple reflexes, the stretch reflexes, help the body maintain its balance. Every time a muscle is stretched, it reacts with a reflex impulse to contract. As a person reaches or leans, the skeletal muscles tense and tighten, tending to hold him and keep him from falling. Even in standing still, the stretch reflexes in the skeletal muscles make many tiny adjustments to keep the body erect.
The “hot stove” reflex is more complex, calling into play many different muscles. Before the hand is pulled away, an impulse must go from the sensory nerve endings in the skin to a center in the spinal cord, from there to a motor center, and then out along the motor nerves to shoulder, arm, and hand muscles. Trunk and leg muscles respond to support the body in its sudden change of position, and the head and eyes turn to look at the cause of the injury. All this happens while the person is becoming aware of the burning sensation. A reflex that protects the body from injury, as this one does, is called a nociceptive reflex. Sneezing, coughing, and gagging are similar reflexes in response to foreign bodies in the nose and throat, and the wink reflex helps protect the eyes from injury.
A conditioned reflex is one acquired as the result of experience. When an action is done repeatedly the nervous system becomes familiar with the situation and learns to react automatically, and a new reflex is built into the system. Walking, running, and typewriting are examples of activities that require large numbers of complex muscle coordinations that have become automatic.Nerve pathway of a simple reflex. When the sensory nerve ending is stimulated, a nerve impulse travels along a sensory (afferent) neuron to the spinal cord. Here an association neuron transfers the impulse to a motor (efferent) neuron. The motor neuron carries the impulse to a muscle, which contracts and moves a body part.
abdominal r's contractions of the abdominal muscles about the navel on stimulating the abdominal skin. It indicates that the spinal cord from the eighth to the twelfth thoracic nerve is intact.accelerator reflex an increase in heart rate in response to changes in intrathoracic pressure or respiratory rate; see also reflex" >Bainbridge reflex and reflex" >cardiac respiratory reflex.accommodation reflex the coordinated changes that occur when the eye adapts itself for near vision; they are constriction of the pupil, convergence of the eyes, and increased convexity of the lens.Achilles reflex ankle jerk.acoustic reflex contraction of the stapedius muscle in response to intense sound.anal reflex contraction of the anal sphincter on irritation of the anal skin.ankle reflex Achilles reflex.auditory reflex any reflex caused by stimulation of the vestibulocochlear nerve; especially momentary closure of both eyes produced by a sudden sound.Babinski reflex see babinski reflex.Babkin reflex see babkin reflex.Bainbridge reflex a rise in pressure in, or increased distension of, the large somatic veins or the right atrium causes acceleration of the heart beat. Called also Bainbridge effect.baroreceptor reflex the reflex responses to stimulation of baroreceptors of the carotid sinus and aortic arch, regulating blood pressure by controlling heart rate, strength of heart contractions, and diameter of blood vessels.biceps reflex contraction of the biceps muscle when its tendon is tapped.bite reflex strong closure of the jaws when the teeth or gums are stimulated.Brain's reflex extension of a hemiplegic flexed upper limb when a person is in a quadrupedal posture; called also quadrupedal extensor reflex.bulbocavernosus reflex (bulbospongiosus reflex) contraction of the bulbocavernous muscle in response to a tap on the dorsum of the penis; called also penile reflex.cardiac respiratory reflex an increase in heart rate caused by an increase in respiratory rate that reduces venous return.carotid sinus reflex slowing of the heartbeat when pressure is applied to the carotid artery at the level of the cricoid cartilage. See also carotid sinus syndrome.Chaddock's reflex in lesions of the pyramidal tract, stimulation below the external malleolus causes extension of the great toe; called also Chaddock's sign.chain reflex a series of reflexes, each serving as a stimulus to the next, making a complete activity.ciliary reflex the movement of the pupil in accommodation.ciliospinal reflex dilation of the ipsilateral pupil on painful stimulation of the skin at the side of the neck.clasp-knife reflex clasp-knife rigidity.conditioned reflex conditioned response" >conditioned response.conjunctival reflex closure of the eyelid when the conjunctiva is touched.corneal reflex see corneal reflex.cough reflex the sequence of events initiated by the sensitivity of the lining of the airways and mediated by the medulla as a consequence of impulses transmitted by the vagus nerve, resulting in coughing, i.e., the clearing of the passageways of foreign matter.cremasteric reflex contraction of the ipsilateral cremaster muscle, drawing the testis upward, when the upper inner aspect of the thigh is stroked longitudinally.deep reflex one elicited by a sharp tap on the appropriate tendon or muscle to induce brief stretch of the muscle.digital reflex Hoffmann's sign (def. 2).doll's eye reflex doll's eye phenomenon.embrace reflex Moro reflex.gag reflex elevation of the soft palate and retching which is elicited by touching the back of the tongue or the wall of the pharynx; called also pharyngeal reflex.Areas that react in a gag reflex when touched.gastrocolic reflex increase in intestinal peristalsis after food enters the empty stomach.gastroileal reflex increase in ileal motility and opening of the ileocecal valve when food enters the empty stomach.grasp reflex flexion or clenching of the fingers or toes on stimulation of the palm of the hand or sole of the foot.Hering-Breuer r's see hering-breuer reflexes.Hoffmann's reflex Hoffmann's sign (def. 2).jaw reflex (jaw-jerk reflex) closure of the mouth caused by a downward blow on the passively hanging chin; rarely seen in health but very noticeable in corticospinal tract lesions.knee reflex knee jerk.light reflex 1. constriction of the pupil when a light is shone into the same (direct light reflex) or the opposite eye (indirect or consensual light reflex).2. a luminous image reflected when light strikes the normal tympanic membrane.lung r's Hering-Breuer reflexes.Magnus and de Kleijn neck r's extension of both limbs on the same side, or one limb or part of a limb, with increase of tonus on the side to which the chin is turned when the head is rotated, and flexion with loss of tonus on the side to which the occiput points; it usually indicates decerebrate rigidity" >decerebrate rigidity.Mayer's reflex opposition and adduction of the thumb combined with flexion at the metacarpophalangeal joint and extension at the interphalangeal joint, on downward pressure of the index finger.Mendel-Bekhterev reflex dorsal flexion of the second to fifth toes on percussion of the dorsum of the foot; in certain organic nervous disorders, plantar flexion occurs.micturition reflex any of the reflexes necessary for effortless urination and subconscious maintenance of continence.Moro reflex see moro reflex.myotatic reflex stretch reflex.neck righting reflex rotation of the trunk in the direction in which the head of the supine infant is turned; this reflex is absent or decreased in infants with spasticity.nociceptive r's reflexes initiated by painful stimuli; see also nociceptor and pain.oculocephalic reflex doll's eye phenomenon.orbicularis pupillary reflex unilateral contraction of the pupil, followed by dilatation after closure or attempted closure of eyelids that are forcibly held apart.palatal reflex (palatine reflex) stimulation of the palate causes swallowing. Called also swallowing reflex.paradoxical pupillary reflex reversed pupillary reflex.patellar reflex knee jerk.penile reflex bulbocavernosus reflex.pharyngeal reflex gag reflex.pilomotor reflex the production of flesh" >goose flesh on stroking of the skin.placing reflex flexion followed by extension of the leg when the infant is held erect and the dorsum of the foot is drawn along the under edge of a table top; it is obtainable in the normal infant up to the age of six weeks.plantar reflex plantar flexion of the foot when the ankle is grasped firmly and the lateral border of the sole is stroked or scratched from the heel toward the toes.proprioceptive reflex a reflex that is initiated by stimuli arising from some function of the reflex mechanism itself.psychogalvanic reflex decreased electrical resistance of the body due to emotional or mental agitation.pupillary reflex 1. contraction of the pupil on exposure of the retina to light.2. any reflex involving the iris, resulting in change in the size of the pupil, occurring in response to various stimuli, e.g., change in illumination or point of fixation, sudden loud noise, or emotional stimulation.quadriceps reflex knee jerk.quadrupedal extensor reflex Brain's reflex.red reflex a luminous red appearance seen upon the retina in retinoscopy.reversed pupillary reflex any abnormal pupillary reflex opposite of that which occurs normally; e.g., stimulation of the retina by light dilates the pupil. Called also paradoxical pupillary reflex.righting reflex the ability to assume an optimal position when there has been a departure from it.rooting reflex a reflex in the newborn in which stimulation of the side of the cheek or upper or lower lip causes the infant to turn the mouth and face to the stimulus.Rossolimo's reflex in pyramidal tract lesions, plantar flexion of the toes on tapping their plantar surface.spinal reflex any reflex action mediated through a center of the spinal cord.startle reflex Moro reflex.stepping reflex movements of progression elicited when the infant is held upright and inclined forward with the soles of the feet touching a flat surface; it is obtainable in the normal infant up to the age of six weeks.stretch reflex reflex contraction of a muscle in response to passive longitudinal stretching.sucking reflex sucking movements of the lips of an infant elicited by touching the lips or the skin near the mouth.suck-swallow reflex rhythmical sucking and swallowing movements in an infant when a finger or nipple is placed in the mouth.superficial reflex any withdrawal reflex elicited by noxious or tactile stimulation of the skin, cornea, or mucous membrane, including the corneal, pharyngeal, and cremasteric reflexes.swallowing reflex palatal reflex.tendon reflex contraction of a muscle caused by percussion of its tendon.tonic neck reflex extension of the upper limb and sometimes the lower limb on the side to which the head is forcibly turned, with flexion of the contralateral limbs; seen normally in the newborn. If it persists into the second or third year of life, it indicates a neurologic disorder.triceps reflex contraction of the belly of the triceps muscle and slight extension of the upper limb when the tendon of the muscle is tapped directly, with the limb flexed and fully supported and relaxed.triceps surae reflex Achilles reflex.vestibular r's the reflexes for maintaining the position of the eyes and body in relation to changes in orientation of the head.vestibulo-ocular reflex nystagmus or deviation of the eyes in response to stimulation of the vestibular system by angular acceleration or deceleration or when the caloric test is performed.vomiting reflex the reflex for vomiting" >vomiting, caused by reflexive stimulation of muscles of the gastrointestinal tract and throat; it is mediated by centers in the medulla oblongata and can be set in motion by a variety of stimuli. See also gag reflex.

re·flex

(rē'fleks), Do not confuse this word with reflux.1. An involuntary reaction in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery, and transmitted to the nervous centers in the brain or spinal cord. Most deep reflexes are stretch or myotatic reflexes, elicited by striking a tendon or bone, causing stretching, even slight, of the muscle, which then contracts as a result of the stimulus applied to its proprioceptors.
See also: phenomenon.
2. A reflection. [L. reflexus, pp. of reflecto, to bend back]

reflex

(rē′flĕks′)adj.1. Physiology Being an involuntary action or response, such as a sneeze, blink, or hiccup.2. Bent, turned, or thrown back; reflected.3. Reflexed.n.1. a. Physiology An involuntary response to a stimulus.b. reflexes A person's ability to respond to new or changing stimuli: His quick reflexes make him a good taxi driver.2. Psychology An unlearned or instinctive response to a stimulus.

reflex

Neurology A rapid involuntary response to a mechanical or chemical stimulus. See Ankle reflex, Axon reflex, Babinski's reflex, Baroreflex, Cat's eye reflex, Consensual light reflex, Corneal reflex, Deep tendon reflex, Diving reflex, Doll's eye reflex, Gag reflex, Galant reflex, Gastrocnemius reflex, H reflex, Hering-Breuer reflex, J reflex, Let-down reflex, Moro reflex, Patellar reflex, Peristaltic reflex, Pulmonary chemoreflex, Pupillary reflex, Rooting reflex, Triceps reflex, Vestibulo-ocular reflex, Westphal-Piltz reflex.

re·flex

(rē'fleks) An involuntary reaction in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the nervous centers in the brain or spinal cord. [L. reflexus, pp. of reflecto, to bend back]

reflex

1. An automatic, involuntary and predictable response to a stimulus applied to the body or arising within it. 2. The point of light reflected from a curved smooth surface, such as the CORNEA.

Reflex

A response, usually a movement, elicited by tapping on the nerve with a special hammer-like instrument.Mentioned in: Neurogenic Bladder, Neurologic Exam, Physical Examination

reflex 

1. Involuntary response to a stimulus. 2. Reflection or an image formed by reflection (e.g. corneal reflex).
accommodative reflex See reflex accommodation; near reflex.
reflex arc See pupil light reflex.
blinking reflex Blinking in response to various stimulations such as a light source or a mechanical threat. See retinotectal pathway.
cat's eye reflex A whitish, bright reflection observed in the normally black pupil in several conditions, such as leukocoria, retinoblastoma, Coats' disease or persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. It resembles the reflection from the tapetum lucidum of a cat when a light is shined at night.
consensual light reflex See pupil light reflex.
corneal reflex 1. Blinking in response to a threat, or to tactile stimulation of the cornea, as for example when measuring objectively the corneal touch threshold. Associated responses include lacrimation and miosis. 2. Image formed by reflection of light from the cornea (Fig. R5). See aesthesiometer; Hirschberg's method; Krimsky's method; pupillometer; apparent strabismus.
direct light reflex See pupil light reflex.
eyeball compression reflex See oculocardiac reflex.
fixation reflex Psycho-optical reflex consisting of an involuntary movement of the eye (or eyes) aimed at placing on the foveola the retinal image of an object that was formed in the retinal periphery. See psycho-optical reflex; re-fixation reflex.
foveal reflex Tiny reflection from the concave surface of the foveal depression of the retina seen in ophthalmoscopy. It is not usually visible in old eyes.
fundus reflex Light reflected by the fundus of the eye, as seen in retinoscopy and ophthalmoscopy. It appears as a red glow in the plane of the pupil in retinoscopy. It is absent when the eye has a dense cataract. Syn. red reflex.
fusion reflex See motor fusion.
hemianopic pupillary reflex In hemianopia, a loss of pupillary constriction when light falls on the blind side of the retina while pupillary constriction is maintained when light stimulates the unaffected side of the retina. Syn. Wernicke's hemianopic pupil; Wernicke's pupillary reaction; Wernicke's pupillary reflex; Wernicke's sign.
indirect light reflex See pupil light reflex.
lacrimal reflex Secretion of tears in response to irritation of the cornea or conjunctiva as, for example, when first wearing contact lenses (hard in particular), but it may also be induced by eyestrain, glare, laughing, etc. Syn. lacrimation reflex; tearing reflex; weeping reflex. See lacrimal apparatus; tear secretion; Schirmer's test.
lacrimation reflex See lacrimal reflex.
light reflex 1. That light which appears in the pupil in retinoscopy. It is light reflected by the retina. Syn. retinoscopic light. 2. Any reflected light. See pupil light reflex.
near reflex Reflex evoked by a blurred retinal image, as when fixating from far to near. It consists of three responses: (1) increased convexity of the crystalline lens; (2) constriction of the pupils; and (3) convergence of the eyes. This reflex is not a pure reflex since each of the three components can act independently of the other two; convergence by means of prisms, accommodation by means of lenses and miosis by light stimulation. Syn. accommodative reflex; near-triad reflex; synkinetic near reflex. See mechanism of accommodation; reflex accommodation; accommodative response.
near-triad reflex See near reflex.
oculocardiac reflex A decrease in pulse rate following compression of the eyeball or traction on the extraocular muscles during ocular surgery. It may produce a systolic cardiac arrest. Syn. Ascher's phenomenon; Ascher's reflex; eyeball compression reflex.
optokinetic reflex See vestibulo-ocular reflex.
postural reflex A reflex which helps to maintain static or dynamic posture of the body, for example, the righting reflex, in which visual stimuli help to maintain a correct position of the head in space by activating the muscles of the neck and limbs. See static eye reflex.
psycho-optical reflex Reflexes involving the eye which are mediated by the occipital cortex such as the accommodative, fixation, fusion, version and vergence reflexes.
pupil reflex Any alteration of the pupil size in response to stimuli other than light (e.g. a sudden noise). See pupil light reflex.
pupil light reflex 1. Constriction of the pupil in response to light stimulation of the retina. The response of an eye to light stimulation can occur either with a light shining on it directly (the direct light reflex) or when the other eye is stimulated (the consensual or indirect light reflex). The reflex arc consists of four neurons beyond the ganglion cells. The first afferent neuron transmits nervous impulses from the retina to the two pretectal olivary nuclei, located on the lateral and anterior side of the super-ior colliculi, in response to light stimulation of the photoreceptors. The second neurons, called the internuncial neurons, connect each pretectal olivary nucleus to both Edinger-Westphal nuclei which form part of the oculomotor nuclei. The third efferent neurons connect the latter nuclei, via the third nerve (oculomotor nerve) to the ciliary ganglion where there is a synapse. The fourth efferent neurons connect the latter, via the short ciliary nerves, to the sphincter pupillae muscle of each iris and constrict the pupil. Light stimulation of the central region of the retina produces a greater pupillary response than peripheral stimulation. The efferent path for pupil constriction represents the parasympathetic innervation (Fig. R6). Note: recent research points to a different pathway for the second afferent neuron: almost all of the fibres from each pretectal olivary nucleus project to the contralateral Edinger-Westphal nucleus. 2. Dilatation of the pupil in response to a reduction of the light stimulation of the retina. It is effected by sympathetic innervation, which originates in the hypothalamus and descends down the brainstem to the ciliospinal centre (of Bulge), located between C8 and T2. From there fibres pass to the superior cervical ganglion in the neck, then efferent fibres ascend along the internal carotid artery until they join the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. The fibres reach the dilator pupillae muscle of the iris via the nasociliary and long ciliary nerves, which enter the eyeball behind the equator. Syn. light reflex. See pupillary fibres; retinotectal pathway; pretectum; efferent pupillary defect.
red reflex See fundus reflex.
re-fixation reflex This reflex occurs while fixating one object and another in the visual field attracts the attention. The eye then turns to fixate on the new object. This is a special case of the fixation reflex.
retinoscopic reflex See light reflex; retinoscope.
righting reflex See postural reflex.
static eye reflex A higher order postural reflex which helps to maintain the eye static with respect to the visual environment by action on the extraocular muscles (possibly via the utricular receptors of the vestibular system) during head or body movements. Syn. compensatory eye movements.
reflex tearing See lacrimal reflex.
tonic neck reflex Orientation of the head, eyes and body in response to proprioceptive information provided by the activity of the muscles of the neck. See proprioception.
vergence reflex A disjunctive fixation reflex in response to an object that moves closer or further than the original position of the fixation point. See disjunctive eye movements.
version reflex A conjugate fixation reflex in response to an object moving in the same frontal plane. See version.
vestibulo-ocular reflex A conjugate movement of the eyes in the direction opposite to a head movement. This reflex is triggered by stimulation of the semicircular canals. It is aimed at maintaining a stable image on the retina during head movement. This reflex responds best at high velocities and frequencies of the visual stimulus. At low velocities and frequencies the stabilization of the ret-inal image is attempted by the optokinetic reflex, which is triggered only by retinal stimulation: this latter reflex complements the vestibulo-ocular reflex. See nystagmus; optokinetic.
weeping reflex See lacrimal reflex.
Wernicke's pupillary reflex See hemianopic pupillary reflex.
white pupillary reflex See leukocoria.
enlarge picture" >Fig. R5 Frontal view of the right eyeenlarge pictureFig. R5 Frontal view of the right eyeenlarge picture" >Fig. R6 A, pupils under low illuminationenlarge pictureFig. R6 A, pupils under low illumination

re·flex

(rē'fleks) Involuntary reaction to a stimulus applied to periphery and transmitted to nervous centers in brain or spinal cord. [L. reflexus, pp. of reflecto, to bend back]

Patient discussion about reflex

Q. Anyone have/hear of RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) CRPS etc ,I have Fibro too Reflex Synmpathetic Dystrophy or CRPS and I have Fibromyalgia any others with CNS problemsA. Ok I would like to ask if any others with RSD would like to get to know each other it looks like they have groups ,no one without RSD can appreciate the pain and the way those who you love the most ,think you are a faker because some RSDers ,you can't see anything readily ,not being believed with Nerve pain thayt is worse than anything I have felt like being shot ,blown up ,Third Degree Burns well kinda like when the nerves stgart to grow back from Third degree burns but 24/7 and the same degree of p[ain since 1968 .IF RSD IS CAUGHT IN THE FIIRST YEAR IT CAN BE Reversed so yes I want knowledge (oops didnt mean caps(to yell)Thank You rsdno

More discussions about reflex

REFLEX


AcronymDefinition
REFLEXReturn Flux Experiment
REFLEXResearch on English and Foreign Language Exploitation

reflex


Related to reflex: Reflex action, reflex arc, cremasteric reflex
  • all
  • noun
  • adj

Synonyms for reflex

noun automatic

Synonyms

  • automatic
  • spontaneous
  • instinctive
  • involuntary
  • impulsive
  • knee-jerk
  • unthinking

Synonyms for reflex

adj acting or happening without apparent forethought, prompting, or planning

Synonyms

  • automatic
  • impulsive
  • instinctive
  • involuntary
  • spontaneous
  • unpremeditated

noun imitative reproduction, as of the style of another

Synonyms

  • echo
  • imitation
  • reflection
  • repetition

Synonyms for reflex

noun an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus

Synonyms

  • inborn reflex
  • innate reflex
  • instinctive reflex
  • physiological reaction
  • reflex action
  • reflex response
  • unconditioned reflex

Related Words

  • accommodation reflex
  • Babinski
  • Babinski reflex
  • Babinski sign
  • belch
  • burp
  • burping
  • eructation
  • belching
  • blink
  • blinking
  • eye blink
  • nictation
  • nictitation
  • winking
  • wink
  • blush
  • flush
  • disgorgement
  • emesis
  • puking
  • vomiting
  • regurgitation
  • vomit
  • defecation reflex
  • rectal reflex
  • yawn
  • yawning
  • oscitance
  • oscitancy
  • electrical shock
  • shock
  • electric shock
  • breaking wind
  • fart
  • farting
  • flatus
  • wind
  • gulping
  • gulp
  • response
  • reaction
  • knee jerk
  • knee-jerk reflex
  • patellar reflex
  • light reflex
  • pupillary reflex
  • miosis
  • myosis
  • mydriasis
  • micturition reflex
  • gag reflex
  • pharyngeal reflex
  • goose bump
  • goose pimple
  • goose skin
  • goosebump
  • gooseflesh
  • horripilation
  • pilomotor reflex
  • plantar reflex
  • rooting reflex
  • startle
  • jump
  • start
  • myotactic reflex
  • stretch reflex
  • suckling reflex
  • shiver
  • tremble
  • shake
  • sneeze
  • sneezing
  • sternutation
  • hiccough
  • hiccup
  • singultus

adj without volition or conscious control

Synonyms

  • reflexive
  • automatic

Related Words

  • physiology
  • involuntary
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