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Reflex Arcs - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 15:34, 14 August 2009
, 15:34, 14 August 2009no edit summary
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* The reflex arc is the basic functional unit of the nervous system and consists of 2 linked components: the sensory input and the output response.
{| align="center" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="0" border="2"
|- style="background:#B0E0E6; color:black"
|'''Detection via sensory receptors e.g:'''
|'''Response via effectors e.g:'''
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|Skin receptors
|Skeletal Muscle
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|Muscle Spindles
|Smooth Muscle
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|Retina
|<font color=white>.</font>
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|Organ of Corti
|<font color=white>.</font>
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|Olfactory Mucosa
|<font color=white>.</font>
|}
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* Animals are divided into body segments, according to the segmental nature of the spinal cord.
** Reflex arcs may involve a single segment, or mutliple segments up and down the body.
** '''However, reflex arcs do not require brain input in order to function.'''
* The brain can act to modulate reflex; for example, some reflex pathways may be inhibited by the brain.
** The brain obtains its afferent information via the [[Macroscopic Anatomy of the CNS#1. Ascending Pathways|ascending sensory tracts]] of the spinal cord.
** The [[Macroscopic Anatomy of the CNS#2. Descending Pathways|descending tracts]] originate from the brain to allow responses to be modulated.
** These tracts constitute the white matter of the spinal cord.