UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE (1)

YANGON

FOUNDATION YEAR

“ZOOLOGY PRESENTATION”
The Knee Jerk Flex
roll no. 59-72
 anatomy and physiology of the knee
definition of reflex
jerk reflex
action

importance of reflex action in Mechanism of the knee jerk

the body reflex

CONTENT
general classification
Potential outcomes of
knee jerk reflex

applications variations
 REFLEX ACTION

-Involuntary, rapid movement in response to a stimulus.

-Occurs without conscious thought, through neural reflex arcs.
 REFLEX ARC
The reflex arc involves a sequence of events that allows for the rapid and
involuntary response to a stimulus. Here are the key components of the reflex
arc:

R e c e p t o r s :
1. S en s o r y
y N e u r o n s :
2. S e n s o r co r d ) :
n t h e s p i n al
n e u r o n s ( i
3. Inter
N eu r o n s :
4. Motor
t o r O rg a n s :
5 . E ff e c
S y n a p s e s :
6.
 AUTONOMIC
(affecting inner organs)

Smooth muscle and glands

REFLEX ARC Under control of the autonomic NS

Pupillary light reflex: adjustments of pupil size in
response to changes in light levels

SOMATIC
(affecting muscles)

Skeletal muscle
Under control of the somatic NS
Withdrawal reflex: the automatic withdrawal of a limb
from a painful stimulus
 Stimulus Detection:
When a stimulus, such as
touching a hot surface, is detected
by sensory receptors in the skin,
sensory neurons transmit signals
from the receptor to the spinal
cord.
 Spinal Cord Processing:
In the spinal cord, the sensory neurons connect
directly to interneurons, bypassing the brain. These
interneurons process the incoming sensory
information and generate an immediate motor
response without waiting for input from the brain.
 Motor Response:
The processed signal is then sent from the
spinal cord to motor neurons, which carry
the response signal to the muscles or glands
involved in the reflex action. In the case of
touching a hot surface, this response would
be withdrawing the hand.
 Conscious Perception:
Simultaneously, the sensory information
is also transm the brain for conscious
perception and awareness of the stimulus.
However, the reflex action has already
occurred before the brain fully processes
the information.
 importance of reflex action in the body

-Neurological Assessment:
-Protection: Maintaining Homeostasis:
•Diagnostic tool for assessing
•Rapid withdrawal from harmful •Regulates vital functions like heart
nervous system function and
stimuli (e.g., touching a hot surface). rate, breathing, and blood pressure.
identifying abnormalities.
 Classification

Development response complexity processing site

•INNATE REFLEX • somatic reflex • Monosynaptic reflex • spinal cord reflex

• ACQUIRED -superficial • Polysynapyic reflex • cranial reflex
REFLEX -deep
• autonomic reflex
(visceral)
 Anatomy
and Physiology
of the
knee jerk reflex
 Extrafusal Muscles

• The regular skeletal muscles responsible ofr

generationg force and movement.

Intrafusal Muscles
• specialised muscle fibres within muscle
spindles that provide sensoty feedback to the
nervous system regarding muscle length and
stretch.
Overview of Nervous System Involvement

• The knee jerk reflex is a monosynaptic

reflex arc, involving a sensory neuron and
a motor neuron.

• It’s part of the somatic nervous system,

responsible for voluntary and involuntary
motor response.
 Sensory Neurons

Motor
Neurons
Specific
Structures
Inhibitor
Involved
Neuron

Spinal
Cord
 Sensory
Neurons
• Located in muscle spindles
within the quadriceps muscle.

• Detect stretch when the patellar

tendon is tapped.

• Transmit signals to the spinal

cord via the sensory nerve fibres
(afferent pathway)
 Motor
Neurons
• Located in the spinal cord’s
ventral horn.

• Stimulate contraction of the

quadriceps muscle.

• Transmit signals to the muscle

via the motor nerve fibres
(efferent pathway)
 Inhibitor
Neurons
• A type of neuron that promotes
relaxation.

• In Knee Jerk flex, relaxation of

the leg’s biceos occurs due to the
presence of inhibitory neurons
between the sensory and motor
neurons.
 Spinal Cord
• Acts as the processing centre for the
reflex arc.

• Coordinates the sensory input from

the knee jerk stimulus with the
motor output to the quadriceps
muscle.

• Initiates the reflexive contraction of

the quadriceps without involvment of
the brain
Knee jerk reflex ( Patellar reflex ) mechanism

• Patellar tendon tapped with reflex hammer and stretches

quadriceps muscles

• Muscle spindle fibers - sense stretch, depolarized sensory

neurons

• Action potentials travel to spinal cord via afferent fibers

• Sensory neurons directly excite motor neurons

• Quadriceps contract , extending knee, reciprocal inhibition

inhibits hamstring muscles
VARIATIONS
 VARIATIONS
MUSCLE
AGE GENDER
TONE
diminish due to changes Hormone difference hypertonic muscle
in nerve conduction and influence reflex exaggerate but hypotonic
muscle tone sensitivity muscles reduce it
 VARIATIONS
STATE OF FATIGUE PATHOLOGICAL
RELAXATION CONDITIONS MEDICATIONS

Reflex enhancement reduce reflex Neurological disorders Drugs affecting

but reduced during response due to alter reflex activity nervous system
tension muscle exhaustion function may either
enhance or suppress
reflex response
ABNORMALITIES

When abnormalities occur in the knee-

jerk reflex response, it can indicate
underlying neurological or
musculoskeletal issues
Hyperreflexia
• Increased or exaggerated reflex responses

• upper motor neuron lesions

• may suggest conditions such as spinal cord

injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or brain
tumors

• These conditions can disrupt the inhibitory

pathways in the central nervous system,
leading to heightened reflexes
Hyporeflexia
• Decreased or absent reflex responses

• lower motor neuron dysfunction

• seen in conditions such as peripheral

neuropathy or spinal nerve compression,
Guillain-Barré syndrome, or muscular
disorders like muscular dystrophy

• can result in diminished reflexes

Asymmetry
• variation in reflex response between limbs

• focal nerve damage

• localized neurological dysfunction

• significant asymmetry in reflexes can be

indicative of conditions such as nerve root
compression, radiculopathy, or focal
neuropathies
APPLICATIONS
Applications of knee jerk actions or reflex actions

Rehabilitation

Pharmacological studies

Sports medicine

Teaching Too

Medical Diagnosis
 Rehabilitation
• Assessment of muscle tone and coordination post
injury

• In rehabilitation settings, therapists may use the knee-

jerk reflex as part of assessments to monitor progress in
patients recovering from injuries or neurological
conditions
 Pharmacological studies

• evaluate effects of drugs on reflex response

• crucial for developing new medications or

understanding the mechanisms of existing drugs
 Sport medicine
• Assess athletes neuromuscular function and injury risk

• Changes in reflex responses may indicate lingering

issues or the need for further rehabilitation before
resuming sports activities
 Teaching Tool
• demonstrate neural pathway and reflex arc

• engage students in neurological examination

• Students learn about the components of the reflex arc,

including sensory receptors, afferent and efferent
neurons, and motor responses, helping them understand
fundamental principles of neural communication and
motor control
 Medical Diagnosis
• Alter reflex response indicates neurological disorders

• Key component for diagnosing conditions

• commonly used by physicians as a simple neurological

test to assess the integrity of the spinal cord and
peripheral nerves
 Conclusion
• In conclusion, the knee jerk reflex, a classic example of a monosynaptic reflex arc, showcases the
remarkable efficiency and speed of the nervous system in responding to stimuli

• This reflex, triggered by a sudden stretch of the patellar tendon, involves sensory neurons,
interneurons, and motor neurons, all working together seamlessly to produce a rapid and involuntary
contraction of the quadriceps muscle

• Through this reflex, the body is able to maintain balance, stability, and posture, while also protecting
itself from potential harm

• Studying the knee jerk reflex not only provides insight into basic neurological processes but also
underscores the complexity and precision of the human body's innate responses to stimuli
 REFERENCES
• Zoology Lecture Notes from University of Medicine (1) Yangon.

• Boundless Anatomy and Physiology by Lumen Learning

• Reflex Arc Concept Physiology by Dewey, J. (1896)

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