Changes

The withdrawal reflex is behind the system that automatically withdraws any area of the body that experiences pain or discomfort and is commonly used as a check for the depth of anaesthesia of surgery patients. Examples of the withdrawal reflex would be an animal that experiences heat e.g. a cat walking onto an electric hob, chemical or cold stimuli amongst many others. For the cat example, sensory neurons in the skin of the paw would be stimulated and transmit a signal to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Inter-neurons then connect motor neurons which innervate the muscles of the leg causing the leg muscle to flex and withdraw the paw. Muscles that would counter this movement in the leg are also inhibited to ensure the correct limb movement. In many cases the speed of this withdrawal reflex can be so fast that the paw will be retracted before the animal is consciously aware of the pain.

The withdrawal reflex is behind the system that automatically withdraws any area of the body that experiences pain or discomfort and is commonly used as a check for the depth of anaesthesia of surgery patients. Examples of the withdrawal reflex would be an animal that experiences heat e.g. a cat walking onto an electric hob, chemical or cold stimuli amongst many others. For the cat example, sensory neurons in the skin of the paw would be stimulated and transmit a signal to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Inter-neurons then connect motor neurons which innervate the muscles of the leg causing the leg muscle to flex and withdraw the paw. Muscles that would counter this movement in the leg are also inhibited to ensure the correct limb movement. In many cases the speed of this withdrawal reflex can be so fast that the paw will be retracted before the animal is consciously aware of the pain.