Withdrawal Reflex (withdrawal + reflex)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Studies of the organization of the human nociceptive withdrawal reflex,

ACTA PHYSIOLOGICA, Issue 2007
Focus on sensory convergence, stimulation site dependency
First page of article [source]


Modulation of spinal inhibitory reflex responses to cutaneous nociceptive stimuli during upper limb movement

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2008
Romildo Don
Abstract In the present study we investigated the probability, latency and duration of the inhibitory component of the withdrawal reflex elicited by painful electrical stimulation of the index finger in humans. The stimulus consisted of a train of high-intensity pulses. The investigation was carried out in several upper limb muscles during isometric contractions of different strengths and during a motor sequence consisting of reaching, picking up and transporting an object. We used a new algorithm to detect and characterize the inhibitory reflex. The reflex was found in all muscles except the brachioradialis at all the isometric contraction strengths, and showed a distal-to-proximal gradient of latency and duration. Conversely, during movement the reflex probability was high (> 80%) in the anterior deltoid and triceps muscles during reaching, in the extensor carpi radialis muscle during transporting of the object, and in the first interosseous muscle during both picking up and transporting of the object. This modulation of inhibitory reflex transmission in the upper limb muscles suggests that the motor response is organized in such a way as to inhibit the overall ongoing motor task by interrupting motion during reaching and by releasing the object during transporting. This pattern of modulation appears to differ markedly from that previously reported for the excitatory component of the withdrawal reflex. Study of the nociceptive inhibitory reflexes during movement offers new and more profound insights into the functional anatomical organization of the spinal interneuronal network mediating sensory,motor integration. [source]


Cold Exposure Enhances Tactile Allodynia Transiently In Mononeuropathic Rats

JOURNAL OF THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, Issue 2 2000
T. Kauppila
A laser and erythrosin-B-induced sciatic nerve injury decreases thresholds of a mechanically induced paw withdrawal reflex and enhances cold-induced withdrawal behavior of the affected limb. Exposure of the affected paw to a normally innocuous cold stimulus results in a transient decrease in the threshold of the mechanically evoked paw withdrawal reflex in neuropathic but not in intact rats. The present data suggest that in an experimental neuropathic state a normally innocuous cold stimulus may further sensitize spinally mediated withdrawal reflexes to stimuli of another stimulus modality, in this case, to innocuous tactile stimuli. Therefore, testing mechanical allodynia in neuropathic rats immediately after testing cold allodynia may produce artifactual results. [source]


Organisation of sensitisation of hind limb withdrawal reflexes from acute noxious stimuli in the rabbit

THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
John Harris
Spatial aspects of central sensitisation were investigated by studying the effects on three hind limb withdrawal reflexes of an acute noxious stimulus (20 % mustard oil) applied to a number of locations around the body in decerebrate and in anaesthetised rabbits. Reflex responses to electrical stimulation of the toes were recorded from the ankle flexor tibialis anterior (TA) and the knee flexor semitendinosus (ST), whereas responses to stimulation of the heel were recorded from the ankle extensor medial gastrocnemius (MG). In non-spinalised, decerebrated, pentobarbitone-sedated preparations, flexor reflexes were facilitated significantly from sites on the plantar surface of the ipsilateral foot but were either inhibited or unaffected by stimulation of sites away from this location. The heel,MG reflex was facilitated from the ipsilateral heel and was inhibited from a number of ipsilateral, contralateral and off-limb sites. In decerebrated, spinalised, pentobarbitone-sedated animals, mustard oil applied to any site on the ipsilateral hind limb enhanced both flexor reflexes, whereas the MG reflex was enhanced only after stimulation at the ipsilateral heel and was inhibited after stimulation of the toe tips or TA muscle. Mustard oil on the contralateral limb had no effect on any reflex. In rabbits anaesthetised with pentobarbitone and prepared with minimal surgical interference, the sensitisation fields for the heel,MG and toes,TA reflexes were very similar to those in non-spinal decerebrates whereas that for toes,ST was more like the pattern observed in spinalised animals. In no preparation was sensitisation or inhibition of reflexes related to the degree of motoneurone activity generated in direct response to the sensitising stimulus. This study provides for the first time a complete description of the sensitisation fields for reflexes to individual muscles. Descending controls had a marked effect on the area from which sensitisation of flexor reflexes could be obtained, as the sensitisation fields for the flexor reflexes evoked from the toes were larger in spinalised compared to decerebrated, non-spinalised animals. The intermediate sizes of sensitisation fields in anaesthetised animals suggests that the area of these fields can be dynamically controlled from the brain. On the other hand, the sensitisation field for the heel,MG reflex varied little between preparations and appears to be a function of spinal neurones. [source]