Neuroanatomy, Spinal Cord Myotatic Reflex

Excerpt

The myotatic reflex is monosynaptic, induced by the sudden passive muscle belly fiber stretch. It produces a muscle contraction in the agonist muscle or muscle group with simultaneous antagonist muscle (or muscle group) relaxation. As with all reflexes, it is involuntary, reproducible, and likely positively selected evolutionarily, specifically to prevent the forceful stretching or pulling of a muscle beyond its normal passive range. This reflex also has utility in helping maintain an upright posture by detecting postural muscle group stretch and reflexively correcting accordingly in the common cases of leaning or postural instability, which conserves expended energy. Additionally called the deep tendon, stretch, and jerk reflex, the myotatic reflex has been a fundamental and essential part of neurological examination since the work by Joseph Babinski, Wilheim Erb, and William Gowers in the late 1800s. See Image. Spinal Cord Myotatic Reflex.