Reflex-a reaction that occurs in response to the stimulation of receptors in a reflexogenic zone. Reflexes give an idea of the state of various parts of the human nervous system. The study of reflexes consists in determining their character, uniformity, and symmetry. Reflexes can be alive. There may be hyporeflexia, hyperreflexia of the expanded reflexogenic zone), areflexia (lack of reflexes). Reflexes are divided into deep, or proprioceptive (tendon, periosteal, articular), and superficial skin, from the mucous membranes).
Deep reflexes occur when percussion with a hammer on a tendon or periosteum. As a result, there is a motor reaction of the corresponding muscle groups.
On the upper extremities, the following reflexes are normally determined: the reflex from the biceps tendon of the shoulder, from the triceps tendon of the shoulder, and the carporadial reflex. The first is caused by a hammer strike on the biceps tendon, which leads to a flexion of the forearm. The second is caused by a hammer strike on the triceps tendon, which leads to the extension of the forearm. The carporadial reflex is caused by percussion of the styloid process of the radius, which leads to flexion and pronation of the forearm and flexion of the fingers of the hand. On the lower extremities, the knee and heel reflexes are normally determined. The knee reflex is caused by a hammer strike on the tendon of the quadriceps femoris, which causes the extension of the lower leg. The heel (Achilles) reflex occurs when percussion along the Achilles tendon, which leads to plantar flexion of the foot, as the calf muscles contract.
Skin reflexes occur when a certain skin area is irritated with a stroke by the handle of a neurological hammer. In this case, the patient lies on his back with his legs slightly bent. There are abdominal reflexes: upper (occurs when the skin of the abdomen is irritated along the lower edge of the costal arch), middle (occurs when the skin of the abdomen is irritated at the level of the navel) and lower (occurs when the skin is irritated parallel to the inguinal fold). These reflexes consist in the contraction of the abdominal muscles at the appropriate level and the deviation of the navel in the direction of irritation.
The cremaster reflex is caused by irritation of the skin of the inner surface of the thigh and consists in pulling the testicle up as a result of contraction of the cremaster muscle. The plantar reflex consists in plantar flexion of the foot and fingers as a result of stroke irritation of the outer edge of the sole. The anal reflex is a contraction of the external sphincter of the anus as a result of tingling or streaking irritation of the skin around it.
When the pyramidal pathway is affected, pathological reflexes appear. This is due to the disinhibition of spinal automatism. Pathological reflexes are divided into extensor and flexor reflexes.
There are the following extensor pathological reflexes on the lower extremities: the Babinsky reflex (extension of the I toe as a result of stroke irritation of the skin of the outer edge of the sole, up to 2-2. 5 years is physiological), the Oppenheim reflex (extension of the I toe when holding the fingers along the ridge of the tibia in the direction down to the ankle joint), the Gordon reflex (slow extension of the I toe and fan-shaped divergence of other fingers as a result of compression of the calf muscles), Schaefer reflex (extension of the first toe as a result of compression of the Achilles tendon).Reflex-a reaction that occurs in response to the stimulation of receptors in a reflexogenic zone. Reflexes give an idea of the state of various parts of the human nervous system. The study of reflexes consists in determining their character, uniformity, and symmetry. Reflexes can be alive. There may be hyporeflexia, hyperreflexia of the expanded reflexogenic zone), areflexia (lack of reflexes). Reflexes are divided into deep, or proprioceptive (tendon, periosteal, articular), and superficial skin, from the mucous membranes).
Deep reflexes occur when percussion with a hammer on a tendon or periosteum. As a result, there is a motor reaction of the corresponding muscle groups.
On the upper extremities, the following reflexes are normally determined: the reflex from the biceps tendon of the shoulder, from the triceps tendon of the shoulder, and the carporadial reflex. The first is caused by a hammer strike on the biceps tendon, which leads to a flexion of the forearm. The second is caused by a hammer strike on the triceps tendon, which leads to the extension of the forearm. The carporadial reflex is caused by percussion of the styloid process of the radius, which leads to flexion and pronation of the forearm and flexion of the fingers of the hand. On the lower extremities, the knee and heel reflexes are normally determined. The knee reflex is caused by a hammer strike on the tendon of the quadriceps femoris, which causes the extension of the lower leg. The heel (Achilles) reflex occurs when percussion along the Achilles tendon, which leads to plantar flexion of the foot, as the calf muscles contract.
Skin reflexes occur when a certain skin area is irritated with a stroke by the handle of a neurological hammer. In this case, the patient lies on his back with slightly bent legs. There are abdominal reflexes: upper (occurs when the skin of the abdomen is irritated along the lower edge of the costal arch), middle (occurs when the skin of the abdomen is irritated at the level of the navel) and lower (occurs when the skin is irritated parallel to the inguinal fold). These reflexes consist in the contraction of the abdominal muscles at the appropriate level and the deviation of the navel in the direction of irritation.
The cremaster reflex is caused by irritation of the skin of the inner surface of the thigh and consists in pulling the testicle up as a result of contraction of the cremaster muscle. The plantar reflex consists in plantar flexion of the foot and fingers as a result of stroke irritation of the outer edge of the sole. The anal reflex is a contraction of the external sphincter of the anus as a result of tingling or streaking irritation of the skin around it.
When the pyramidal pathway is affected, pathological reflexes appear. This is due to the disinhibition of spinal automatism. Pathological reflexes are divided into extensor and flexor reflexes.
There are the following extensor pathological reflexes on the lower extremities: the Babinsky reflex (extension of the I toe as a result of stroke irritation of the skin of the outer edge of the sole, up to 2-2. 5 years is physiological), the Oppenheim reflex (extension of the I toe when holding the fingers along the ridge of the tibia in the direction down to the ankle joint), the Gordon reflex (slow extension of the I toe and fan-shaped divergence of other fingers as a result of compression of the calf muscles), Schaefer reflex (extension of the first toe as a result of compression of the Achilles tendon).
There are the following flexor pathological reflexes on the lower extremities: the Rossolimo reflex (flexion of the toes with a quick hammer blow on the pads of the fingers), the Bekhterev—Mendel reflex (flexion of the toes with a hammer blow on its back surface), the Zhukovsky reflex (flexion of the toes with a hammer blow on its plantar surface under the fingers), the Bekhterev reflex (flexion of the toes with a hammer blow on the plantar surface the surface of the heel). Flexor pathological reflexes on the upper extremities can be such as the Tremner reflex (flexion of the fingers of the hand with rapid tangential irritations of the palmar surface of the terminal phalanges of the II–IV fingers), the Jacobso-na-Lask reflex (combined flexion of the forearm and fingers of the hand when hitting the awl-shaped process of the radius with a hammer), the Zhukovsky reflex (flexion of the fingers of the hand when hitting the palmar surface with a hammer), the carpal-finger reflex of Bekhterev (flexion of the fingers of the hand when hitting the palmar surface with a hammer).fingers of the hand as a result of percussion with a hammer of the back of the patient’s hand).
With an increase in tendon reflexes, clonuses appear. They consist in a series of rapid rhythmic contractions of a muscle or group of muscles when they are stretched. There may be clonuses of the foot and patella. The first consists of rhythmic clonic movements during the time that the Achilles tendon is being stretched. The clonus of the patellar calyx occurs when it is pulled up and sharply moves in the distal direction. It consists in a series of rhythmic contractions and relaxation of the quadriceps femoris and twitching of the patella itself.
In pathology, synkinesia may occur, i.e. reflex friendly movements of the limb with arbitrary movement of the other limb. Synkinesias can be global, imitative, and coordinating.