OBJECTIVES

1. To observe the response from an elicited patellar reflex

3. To determine the average reflex time of an isometric

patellar reflex
• to determine the factors that contribute to the
obtained reflex time

• To obtain the amplitude of the response from different

isometric patellar reflex
• Regular
• Clasp hand
• Attention averted

1
 OBJECTIVES
Objectives
• To obtain the amplitude of the response from
different isotonic patellar reflex
• Regular
• Clasp hand
• Attention averted

2. To determine if a significant difference exist

between the obtained data

2
 EQUIPMENT

• Electric kymograph
drum
• Tambour w/
pneumograph
• Signal magnet
• Rubber tubing
• Reflex hammer
• Kymograph paper
3
 Procedure
PROCEDURE
 Determination of reflex time
A signal magnet (frequency of 6 sec per
interval) was attached to an electric kymograph.

A tambour with pneumograph was attached to

the kymograph.

The pneumograph was strapped to the

thigh of the subject

Note: the foot of the subject

With the drum set on high, a series
was braced to obtain an
of patellar reflex was elicited
isometric contraction 4
 Magnitude of isometric set up
The signal magnet was removed from the
kymograph and the drum set for slow

A series of patellar reflex was

elicited (interval 5 sec)

Another similar series was elicited but

with the hands clasp

Note: foot is Another series was elicited but

continually with attention averted
braced for the
set up 5
 Magnitude of isotonic set up

Similar to previous set up

Note: the subject was

made to sit on the table
with foot hanging down.

6
REACTION TIME

REACTION TIME

7
 Results
• Reaction Time
– Reflex Arc
– Patellar Tendon Reflex
– Actual Results vs. Expected Results
– Reaction Time
• Definition
• Factors that can affect Reaction Time
– Actual Vs. Expected Results

8
 Measuring Reaction Time

-Red line below indicates Electrical Stimulus; Black line indicates

Mechanical stimulus.
-Red line indicates activity of “signal magnet” which makes a recording
depending on the specified time interval on the setting of the electrical
9
stimulus.
 Results: Actual
Patellar Reflex
Tendon Time
Tap (sec.)
1 0.08
2 0.12
3 0.08
4 0.10
5 0.12
6 0.08
7 0.08
8
9
10
Average 0.09 10
 Measuring Reaction Time
Reaction Time:
Measured from the
onset of a stimulus
A (A) until the
organism responds
(B).
• The deflection
B indicates
contraction of
quadriceps muscle.
(Deflection length) 11
Measuring Reaction Time
• Reaction Time:
– 6 intervals = 1 sec
– Get the
measurement of
the 6 intervals =
Total length
– RT:
• (Deflection length in
mm.)/(Total length
of the interval in
mm.)
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 Actual Results
0.14

0.12
Reflex Time (secs.)

0.1
0.08

0.06
0.04
0.02
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Patellar Tendon Tap

13
The Electrical Stimulation
-Continuous electrical
stimulation.
** Electrical stimulation
ensures there is constant
AP in the muscle to elicit a
response upon application
of mechanical stimulation

14
 Reaction Time
• Reflexes: Complex neural response Vs. Spinal
Reflex
– Complex neural response: more neurons; longer
pathways
– Spinal Reflex: less neurons; only the spinal cord as
pathway
• Reaction Time: latency of response upon
application of stimulus
– Spinal Reflex
• Involves few neurons
• Occurs very rapidly

15
 Reaction Time
• For the Patellar Tendon Reflex
– “unconscious”
• Humans:
– 0.25 seconds visual stimulus
– 0.17 seconds audio stimulus
– 0.15 seconds touch stimulus
• Types
– Simple reaction time is the latency
between a fixed stimulus and a fixed
response.
– Complex reaction time is the latency
between a variable stimulus and a
respectively variable response.
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Factors Affecting Reaction Time
• Recognition
• Choice
• –vary from individual to
Number of stimuli individual
• Type of stimulus – Because of the higher
degree of neural
• Stimulus intensity processing, reaction times
can be influenced by a
• Gender variety of factors.
• Practice and error –can decrease with
practice (e.g Athletes vs.
• Fatigue Non- athletes);
• Distraction –Sleepiness, emotional
distress, or consumption
• Vision of alcohol can also impact
• Age reaction time.
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ISOMETRIC

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 MUSCLE STRETCH REFLEX

• Simplest type of reflex in the body

• Activated by passive stretching of a muscles
which causes the muscle to contract in
response

2 Components:
5. fast, phasic component – brief lengthening
6. Tonic component – maintained stretch

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 Tap of the tendon

EPSP in the rectus α-motoneurons

Motoneurons discharge AP

Ventral root to the muscle

Muscle contraction

Spindle shortened and

relaxed equatorial region

Group Ia afferent fiber turned off

Muscle relaxation 20
 Jendrassik manuever

• Fingers of the two hands are locked together

and one hand pulls against the other
• Used when stretch reflexes appear to be
reduced

Subliminal fringe – group of excited neurons

- enhancement of reflex response
under certain circumstances

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 Excited α-motoneurons
+
subthreshold excitation of subliminal fringe

Neurons to discharge

Reflex contraction larger than normal

Increased γ-motoneuron activity

Increased sensitivity of the primary

spindle endings
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 ACTUAL RESULTS

  Magnitude of the Response (mm)

  1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Average
W/o clasped
hands 3 2.5 2 2 2.5 2.4
With clasped
hands 2.5 2 3 3 3.5 2.8
With attention
diverted 3 3 3.5 2.5 4 3.2

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24
MONOSYNAPTIC STRETCH REFLEX

Tap the patellar ligament

Stretches the spindles

Stimulate primary endings in

spindles  sensory neuron

Synapse with a motor neurons

stimulating extrafusal fibers

Produces isotonic contraction

(knee jerk) 25
 KEY Magnitude of the Response (mm)
Blue: Isometric
Red: Isotonic 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Avg
w/out 3.0 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.5 2.4
clasped
hands 3.0 1.5 1.5 2.0 1.5 1.9

w/ 2.5 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.5 2.8

clasped
hands 3.0 2.0 1.5 2 1.5 2.0

3.0 3.0 3.5 2.5 4.0 3.2

Attention
diverted
3.0 2.0 2.5 2.0 1.0 2.1
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 READ THIS: RESULTS
1) Isotonic conditions have a HIGHER
magnitude of response than isometric
conditions.

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 RESULTS
1. Increase in magnitude of
response

A) Mental activity - increase

magnitude of the response
• Jendrassik Maneuver
– larger reflex response

B) Muscle tone

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 MUSCLE
MUSCLETONE
TONE
• inherent ability of the muscle to respond
to a stretch

1. Normal Tone
2. High Tone
3. Low Tone

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 MUSCLE TONE
• Normal Tone
– the muscle quickly contract in response stimulus
– the muscle then relaxes  returns to its normal resting state.

• High tone or "spasticity"

– over-reactive response to stimulus
– Muscle tightens – slow rate of recovery
– full relaxation is difficult to achieve muscle taut

• Lone Tone
– slow muscle contraction
– cannot maintain contraction long
– they remain loose and very stretchy

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 SPINAL REFLEXES
• spinal reflexes occur
much faster
• involve fewer neurons
• electrical signal does not
have to travel to the brain
and back
• travel to the spinal cord
and back which is a much
shorter distance

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 SPINAL REFLEXES INFLUENCE
CONTROL CENTERS
• axons descend from centers
w/in the brain stem and the
cerebral cortex  terminate
spinal interneurons

• essential for all conscious and

unconscious command of
movement

• alter the strength of the

reflexes

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 EXPLANATIONS
2. Response from isotonic conditions creates
plateau (bump) vs. flat line in isometric

– shortening occurs slowly-only after taking up enough

tension

– relaxing muscle quickly returns to it’s resting length

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 ERRORS
• Errors with the kymograph
–writing tool

• Wrong placement of the

pneumograph around
subject’s thigh

• Correct location of the

stimulus

34
 ERRORS
Lack of knowledge of the subject’s tendon
reflexes

Strength of the stimulus

Subject anticipated the hammer hitting the

knee

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 1) What is meant by the
dynamic and static
responses of the muscle
spindle? Discuss the creep
phenomena.

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 DYNAMIC RESPONSE

• Displayed by primary endings.

• Primary endings are sensitive both to the

amount of stretch and to its rate

• Primary endings overshoots during muscle

stretch and the group 1a fiber stops firing
when the stretch is released.

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 STATIC RESPONSE

• Stretch causes a tonic level of activity in

proportion to the amount of stretch

• Both primary and secondary ending display

static responses

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• These responses show that the primary
endings signal both the length and the rate of
change in length of the muscle.

• Secondary endings signal only the length of

the muscle.

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 CREEP PHENOMONA
• Result in an overshoot in activity of the primary ending
followed by e reduction in activity toward a new static level of
firing.

• Caused by viscoelastic properties

• Nuclear bag

• lacks contractile protein in their equatorial regions

• readily stretched in their mid-region, after they are stretched,

the nuclear bag returns towards its original length as the polar
region lengthen.
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2) Discuss the inverse
myotactic reflex. How
does it complement the
stretch reflex in the
maintenance of posture?

41
 Muscle Spindle
MUSCLE SPINDLE
– Monitors muscle stretch

• Myotactic reflex

• Facilitates contraction (via muscle spindle)

of a muscle being stretched

• Also called stretch reflex

42
 Golgi TENDON
GOLGI Tendon Organ
ORGAN(GTO)
(GTO)

• Monitors muscle tension

– Inverse stretch reflex

• Initiated by high tension in muscle
• Inhibits contraction of muscle via GTO
• Causes relaxation of a vigorously
contracting muscle

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 INVERSE MYOTATIC REFLEX

• GTO pathway involves inhibitory interneurons

that inhibit α-motor neurons that supply the
rectus femoris muscle and excitatory
interneurons responsible for activating α-
motor neurons to the antagonistic hamstring
muscles.

44
• GTO monitor force in the tendon they
supply. If rectus femoris muscle begins to
fatigue:
– Decrease force in patellar tendon =
reduce activity of GTO
– Enhance the excitability of the α-motor
neurons = increase force
– Occurrence of coordinated reflex by
the muscle spindle and GTO afferent
fibers = greater contraction = posture
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3) While walking barefooted, an
individual’s right foot
accidentally steps on a broken
glass. Trace the pathway
involved of a flexion
(withdrawal) reflex.

46
 WITHDRAWAL REFLEX
• Painful stimulus detected
• Ipsilateral extensors inhibited
• Ipsilateral flexors excited
• Limb is withdrawn
• If involving one foot while standing,
contralateral extensors activated and
flexor inhibited to support greater weight

47
4) Differentiate stretch
from a flexion reflex

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 Stretch Reflex
•This monosynaptic reflex
causes stretched muscle to
contract.
•Provides automatic regulation of •Because of its small-diameter
skeletal muscle length.
•This is the simplest of reflexes
because a sensory neuron
synapses directly with a motor
neuron.
Flexion Reflex
•It is a polysynaptic reflex,
involving many interneurons, and
its action is the most diffuse of
the reflexes.
primary afferent fibers and
polysynapticity, this reflex has a
long latency compared to the
stretch reflex.
•It also has a long duration
because of reverberating circuits
among its interneurons.
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