NROC64H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Alpha Motor Neuron, Gamma Motor Neuron, Dorsal Root Ganglion
Document Summary
If you hit the tendon in knee cap it stretches the muscle that causes the reflex. You have type 1a and 2 fibers going to the dorsal root ganglion and project to the alpha motor neurons. It"s one single reflex involved: step torque perturbation overtime there is some sort of pull towards the muscle, as a muscle stretches, as a reflex the muscle gets shorter to attain the original state. The alpha motor neurons with a little bit of delay, they then start to fire. It can change the desired level of how much the muscle can be contracted: when intrafusal muscle contract it causes the afferent axons then they cause activation of alpha motor neurons. If you send a signal to the gamma motor neuron, it causes a stronger effect to the alpha motor neurons which is the big guy.
