The fig 10A 4,1 is a highly schematic diagram but highlights the essential components of a reflex arc In fig 10 A4.1

The fig 10A 4,1 is a highly schematic diagram but highlights the essential components of a reflex arc In fig 10 A4.1 the integration between the afferent and efferent limb occurs at a segment of spinal cord, hence it is called a 'spinal reflex' The integration may occur, instead, at somewhere in Ihe brain stem (brain stem reflexes, e g some reflexes concerned! with posture and equilibrium, control of blood pressure etc ) or in the cerebral cortex [cortical reflex) and so on CLASSIFICATION OF REFLEX Reflexes have been classified in various ways. Some common classifications are given in Table 1DA.4.1 Table IDA4 1. Classification of reflexes A. Clinical B Anatomical C. Physiological D. Inborn or acquired I. Superficial 1 Segmenlal 1. Flexor 1. Conditioned 2 Deep 2 Inter segmenlal (withdrawal) 2 Unconditioned 3 Visceral 3 Suprasegrnental 2. Exlensur 4 Pathological Clinical classification of relieves (table 10A.42) This classification is the most popular and practical one for the practising clinicians. V Superficial refleies These are elicited by stimulating the appropriate receptors of skin or mucous membrane Example, (i) plantar response (li) abdominal (in) cremastenc (iv) cornea! (v) conjunctiva! (vi) sucking. reflexes. 2. Deep reflexes These are basically stretch reflexes and are elicited by stroking the appropriate lendon or by other related methods, which results in sharp passive stretching of the muscle, resulting m muscular contraction The/ are also called tendon jerks. Examples knee jerk, biceps jerk, ankle jerk, jaw jerk and so on 3 Visceral reflexes