Lecture 1: Viscerosomatic and Chapman's Reflexes Flashcards
What is a reflex?
Relationship between an input stimulus to body and output action in a muscle or secretory organ
What receptors are found in the upper layers 3 and 4 of the spinal cord gray matter?
Mechanoreceptors
What receptors are found in the upper layers 1 and 5 of the spinal cord gray matter?
A-δ fast pain fibers
What receptors are found in the upper layer 2 of the spinal cord gray matter?
Small c fibers of slow pain
What is found in the lower layers of the spinal cord gray matter?
Interneurons
Motorneuron cell bodies
Where do interneurons receive input from?
Visceral and somatic afferents
What is habituation?
Process of decreasing response of a neural pathway w/ a continuous stimulation
Ex: getting use to a bad smell or not feeling pain for long time
What is sensitization?
Repetitive stimuli that can lead to a growing response until stabilization
-Amplifying of sensations
What is the nociception theory?
Homeostasis between habituation and sensitization between over and under reactions to a stimulus
What is facilitation?
Maintenance of a pool of neurons in a state of sub-threshold excitation
-Less stimulation needs to happen for excitation
What is the current theory regarding nociception?
- Strong stimulus activates nociceptive pathways.
- Impulses travel to spinal and cord and branch.
- Release of peptides in motor neurons
What type of peptides are released in the nociceptive pathway?
- Inflammatory cascade and initiate release of prostaglandins. bradykinins, etc
- Lowers nociceptor thresholds
Inflammation disrupts the balance between what?
Habituation and sensitization
-larger normal motor outputs to autonomic and somatic systems
What is short term excitability?
1-2 seconds of afferent input
90-120 seconds of excitability
What is long term excitability?
Several minutes of afferent input
Hours of excitability
What is fixation?
15-20 minutes of afferent input
Days or weeks of excitability
What can cause permanent excitability?
Death of inhibitory neurons
What is allostasis?
- Long term neural effect of segmental facilitation
- Process by which the body responds to stressors in order to regain homeostasis.
What are some things that can affect allostasis?
Physical stress: somatic and visceral Psychological stress (emotional) CV: HTN, Increased risk for MI Neuro: Depression, anxiety, memory loss, etc Weaker immune system
Describe somatosomatic reflex.
Localized somatic stimuli producing patterns of reflex response in segmentally related somatic structures
Describe somatovisceral reflex.
Localized somatic stimulation producing patterns of reflex response in segmentally related visceral structures
*If finger is injured, can have increase HR and feel sweaty
Describe viscerosomatic reflex.
Localized visceral stimuli producing patterns of reflex response in segmentally related somatic structures
*Somatic pain from visceral nociceptive stimuli
Describe viscerovisceral reflex.
Localized visceral stimuli producing patterns of reflex response in segmentally related visceral structures
*Cramping due to bad food you ate
What is the withdrawal response?
Somatosomatic reflex response: occurs when noxious stimulus is applied to somatic structure
*Quickly withdrawing hand from hot pot