Definition of reflex act
Miscellanea / / July 04, 2021
By Florencia Ucha, in Oct. 2013
The reflex action is a action that results from the reflex arc and that consists of a response to a stimulus that is characterized by its involuntariness, that is, they are not motivated by the will of the person who emits them. Whenever a sensory receptor is stimulated by something, the so-called reflex act will occur. If we inadvertently put our hand on an object that is very hot, immediately, the body's response to feeling the maximum heat will be to quickly withdraw the hand from that place.
This phenomenal velocity that characterizes the reflex action and that in no way could occur in the conscious actions of our brain, it facilitates an immediate action before something that normally implies for the person a threat, physical damage.
The question works like this: neuron Sensory is the one that will receive the stimulus in question and sends that information to a reflex center that is located in our spinal cord. Once here, the latter will re-transmit it to a motor-type neuron, which is the one with the
responsibility responding to the stimulus, producing the movement corresponding muscle.Meanwhile, the reflex arc, which is the way in which the emission of a reflex act is controlled, is made up of a series of structures in the nervous system, such as neurons, effectors, and receptors.
Normally it is stimuli such as blows or pain that will trigger the reflex act, the sensory neuron picks up the stimulus and an involuntary response to it will result. It should be noted that it is automatic there is no intervention of the conscience in this case.
It is also important that we mention that not all individuals respond the same to stimuli with what which some may respond more quickly to a stimulus while others take longer to give a answer. Many times the force Of the blow that is received, in case it is precisely a blow that triggers the reflex action, it will be decisive in the response that is given.
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