Table of Contents
What is the path a nerve impulse travels during a reflex action?
When neurons are stimulated they transmit an electrical impulse. The pathway followed is: stimulus —> dendrite –> cell body –> axon –> axon terminal –> passage of stimulus.
How does a reflex movement work?
A reflex action often involves a very simple nervous pathway called a reflex arc. A reflex arc starts off with receptors being excited. They then send signals along a sensory neuron to your spinal cord, where the signals are passed on to a motor neuron. As a result, one of your muscles or glands is stimulated.
What happens in reflex actions?
Reflex actions These different types of neurons work together in a reflex action . A reflex action is an automatic (involuntary) and rapid response to a stimulus, which minimises any damage to the body from potentially harmful conditions, such as touching something hot.
What happens in reflex action?
Reflex arcs Receptor in the skin detects a stimulus (the change in temperature). Sensory neuron sends electrical impulses to a relay neuron, which is located in the spinal cord of the CNS. Motor neuron sends electrical impulses to an effector. Effector produces a response (muscle contracts to move hand away).
Where does a reflex action take place in the brain?
Stimulation occurs through the peripheral nervous system and the response to this peripheral nerve stimulation is involuntary. In a reflex action, the spinal cord along with the brain stem is responsible for the reflex movements.
How many neurons are involved in a reflex?
Some of the simplest nerve pathways consist of little more than two neurons that communicate across a single synapse. A reflex is a relatively simple motor response that does not involve a large number of interneurons (or association neurons).
What do you need to know about reflexes?
A Quick Look at Reflexes 1 Your brain’s role. Your brain gets involved by modifying and fine-tuning reflex actions. 2 Modifying reaction time. Reflexes do play a role in reaction time. Some people are born with faster reflexes. 3 Reflexes and age. Reflexes do slow with age. Physical changes in nerve fibers slow the speed of conduction.
How is the reflection in the mirror a reflex action?
The reflection (reflex action) in the mirror did not involve the brain. In a reflex action, a stimulus (in this case, the heat from a burning candle) arouses sensory receptors, which send a signal via sensory neurones to the spinal cord.