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Reflex Arc Lab

This lab report summarizes an experiment testing various reflexes to analyze the condition of the nervous system. Reflex tests were conducted on the patellar, Achilles, babinski, and triceps reflexes of two partners - one with no history of brain or spinal injuries, and one who had sustained such injuries. The partner with no injuries displayed strong, quick reflexes in all tests, while the injured partner showed weaker, delayed, or absent reflexes. The results supported the hypothesis that injuries could impact reflex functioning by damaging nerves and their ability to complete reflex arcs.

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249 views3 pages

Reflex Arc Lab

This lab report summarizes an experiment testing various reflexes to analyze the condition of the nervous system. Reflex tests were conducted on the patellar, Achilles, babinski, and triceps reflexes of two partners - one with no history of brain or spinal injuries, and one who had sustained such injuries. The partner with no injuries displayed strong, quick reflexes in all tests, while the injured partner showed weaker, delayed, or absent reflexes. The results supported the hypothesis that injuries could impact reflex functioning by damaging nerves and their ability to complete reflex arcs.

Uploaded by

api-385605575
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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1.

Title: Reflex Arc Lab

2. Purpose: The purpose of this lab is to test the reflexes of the patellar, Achilles, babinski, and
triceps to test their condition of the nervous system. With these reflex tests, we can test if the
reflex are distorted, exaggerated, or absent. Those results could possibly be because of brain or
spinal injuries.

3. Background: Reflexes are very rapid in the human body. The reason we have reflexes is
because of reflex arcs. Reflex arcs are made up of five components: a receptor , sensory
neuron, interneuron, motor neuron, and the eectors (which can be muscle fibers). Reflexes can
be automatic or somatic reflexes. Automatic reflexes are uncontrollable in which the brain
doesn't control the reflex. Somatic reflexes require skeletal muscles for the reflex to be possible.

4. Hypothesis: I believe if someone who has never had a brain or spinal injury, then their reflex arc
will work perfectly and there will be no delays of their reflexes compared to someone who has
those injuries.

5. Materials: Reflex hammer, neurological pinwheel

6. Procedure:

A. Patellar reflex

a. Make person sit down on table with legs dangling o the table relaxed.

b. Use the patellar tendon just below the knee cap for both right and left knees

c. Record evidence to see if the knee jerks

B. Babinski

a. Make person lay supine on table with feet relaxed (make sure feet are o the table)

b. Use pinwheel to with slight pressure from heel to big toe

c. Record evidence to see if toes curl

C. Achilles

a. Make person lay prone on table with feet o the table and relaxed

b. Use the reflex hammer and hit the Achilles tendon

c. Record evidence to see if foot plantar flexes

D. Triceps

a. Make person to flex their triceps to find the tricep tendon

b. Lift the persons arm to their shoulder with all the muscles in their arm relaxed ( it
should look like a 90 degree angle)

c. Use the reflex hammer and and hit the tendon

d. Calculate the information to see if the forearm slightly extends

7. Data:

Partner 1: Levi (no brain/spinal injuries)

Right Left

Patellar
Yes (very strong) Yes (very strong)

Yes (very strong) Yes (very strong)

Achilles


Yes (very strong)


Yes (very strong)

Babinski

Triceps Yes (very strong)


Yes (very strong)

Partner 2: Dean (has had brain/spinal injuries)

Right reflex Left reflex

Patellar
Yes (weak) Yes (weak)

Yes (strong) Yes (strong)


Achilles


Yes (very strong) Yes (very strong)

Babinski


Yes (moderate)
None

Triceps

8. Analysis: After the lab my two partners results were very dierent. For partner 1, all of the right
side reflexes happened and were very quick and strong reflexes. For partner 2, it was dierent.
Some of Partner 2's results were weak reflexes and the right tricep didn't show a reflex. For the left
side reflexes, partner one showed all strong reflexes while for partner two, all his results varied.

9. Conclusion: After the experiment, it turns out that my hypothesis is correct. For partner 1, he
had no brain or spinal injuries in his life. With that his reflexes were not delayed or absent in the
tests. For partner 2 he also proved my hypothesis because he did the exact opposite of partner 1.
Partner 2 has had brain and spinal injuries throughout his life. With these injuries, a lot of his
reflexes were delayed, weakened, or absent throughout the tests. The neurological damage could
eect the nerves in which they wouldn't complete the reflex action properly.

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