Types of Reflex
A. Clinical classification:
a. Superficial reflexes:
• Initiated by stimulating appropriate receptors of skin or mucous membrane.
• Usually multisynaptic
• Usually involving moving away from stimulus
• Eg. Plantar response.
b. Deep relexes:
• Stimulating receptors deep in the muscle.
• These are also called stretch reflex or tendon reflex.
• Eg. Knee jerk.
c. Visceral reflexes:
• These are the reflexes where at least one part of the reflex arc is autonomic nerve.
• Stimulate receptors in viscera.
• Eg. Pupillary reflex.
d.Pathological reflexes:
• Are not found normally
• Presence indicates pathological condition within the body
• Eg. Babiniski’s sign
B. Anatomical classification:
a. Segmental reflexes:
• In this kind of reflex the end of afferent neuron and beginning of efferent neuron are in the
same segment of spinal cord.
• Eg. Knee jerk reflexes.
b. Intersegmental reflexes:
• End of afferent neuron and beginning of efferent neuron are in the spinal cord but in different
segments.
• Eg. Crossed extensor reflex
c. Suprasegmental reflexes:
• Centre for such reflex lies above the spinal cord, involves interaction with suprasegmental
components.
• Eg. Postural reflex.
C. Number of synapses:
a.Monosynaptic:
• The sensory neuron comes in and directly synapses on the motor neuron.
• Eg. Stretch reflex.
b. Disynaptic:
• One interneuron is interposed between the sensory and motor neuron.
• Eg. Reciprocal innervations
c. Polysynaptic:
• It has more than two synapses in the spinal cord.
• Eg. Superficial reflex.
D. Physiological classification:
a. Flexor reflexes:
• They are produced when nociceptive stimulus is applied.
• Stimulus causes flexon of joint
• Eg. Thorn prick to a sole causes flexion of knee.
b. Extensor reflex:
• These reflexes cause extension of joints.
• Stretch reflex.
E. Depending upon inborn or acquired reflexes:
a. Unconditioned reflexes:
• These are inborn reflexes.
• Eg. The smell of food is an unconditioned stimulus, a feeling of hunger in response to the
smell is a unconditioned response.
b. Conditioned reflex:
• These are reflexes that develop after birth
• Eg. The sound of a whistle is the conditioned stimulus. The conditioned reflex would be
feeling hungry when you heard the sound of the whistle.
