Withdrawal reflex: Difference between revisions
Fixed wiki link and removed abbreviation |
mNo edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
The '''nociceptive withdrawal reflex''' (NWR) is a [[spinal reflex]] intended to protect the body from damaging stimuli. The classic example is when you touch something hot and withdraw your body part from the hot object. The heat stimulates [[Thermoreceptor|temperature]] and [[Nociceptor|pain receptors]] in the skin, triggering a sensory impulse that travels to the [[central nervous system]]. The sensory neuron then synapses with [[interneuron|interneurons]] that connect to motor neurons. Some of these send motor impulses to the [[flexor|flexors]] to allow withdrawal; some motor neurons send inhibitory impulses to the extensors so [[flexion]] is not inhibited - this is referred to as [[reciprocal innervation]]. While all of this occurs, other interneurons relay the sensory information up to the [[human brain|brain]] so that the person becomes aware of the pain and what happened. |
The '''nociceptive withdrawal reflex''' (NWR) is a [[spinal reflex]] intended to protect the body from damaging stimuli. The classic example is when you touch something hot and withdraw your body part from the hot object. The heat stimulates [[Thermoreceptor|temperature]] and [[Nociceptor|pain receptors]] in the skin, triggering a sensory impulse that travels to the [[central nervous system]]. The sensory neuron then synapses with [[interneuron|interneurons]] that connect to motor neurons. Some of these send motor impulses to the [[flexor|flexors]] to allow withdrawal; some motor neurons send inhibitory impulses to the extensors so [[flexion]] is not inhibited - this is referred to as [[reciprocal innervation]]. While all of this occurs, other interneurons relay the sensory information up to the [[human brain|brain]] so that the person becomes aware of the pain and what happened. The NWR is also known as the flexion reflex. |
||
==See also== |
==See also== |
||
Revision as of 21:19, 28 April 2007
The nociceptive withdrawal reflex (NWR) is a spinal reflex intended to protect the body from damaging stimuli. The classic example is when you touch something hot and withdraw your body part from the hot object. The heat stimulates temperature and pain receptors in the skin, triggering a sensory impulse that travels to the central nervous system. The sensory neuron then synapses with interneurons that connect to motor neurons. Some of these send motor impulses to the flexors to allow withdrawal; some motor neurons send inhibitory impulses to the extensors so flexion is not inhibited - this is referred to as reciprocal innervation. While all of this occurs, other interneurons relay the sensory information up to the brain so that the person becomes aware of the pain and what happened. The NWR is also known as the flexion reflex.