Sensory cells carry afferent impulses to a central interneuron, which makes contact with a motor neuron. The motor neuron carries efferent impulses to the effector, which produces the response. Three types of neurons are involved in this reflex arc, but a two-neuron arc,…
Keeping this in consideration, what is the reflex arc and how does it work?
A motor neuron carries the message from the central nervous system to the effector. In a knee-jerk reflex arc the sensory neuron directly connects to the motor neuron in the spinal cord. This is called a simple reflex arc. from the spindle (receptor) to where it connects with the motor neuron in the spinal cord.
What are the five components of a reflex arc?
- Receptor - sense organ in skin, muscle, or other organ.
- Sensory neuron - carries impulse towards CNS.
- Interneuron - carries impulse within CNS.
- Motor neuron - carries impulse away from CNS.
- Effector - structure by which animal responds (muscle, gland, etc).
What is the Monosynaptic reflex arc?
When a reflex arc consists of only two neurons, one sensory neuron, and one motor neuron, it is defined as monosynaptic. Monosynaptic refers to the presence of a single chemical synapse.