(M.1) An action that occurs in response
to sensory input before the input reaches the brain we
shall call a reflex action. That is, the reflex
action is typically involuntary, unplanned, and nearly
instantaneous. The brain plays no part in its creation.
A reflex action is made possible by neural
pathways called reflex arcs which can act on an sensory signal
before it reaches the brain. It is then an automatic response to
a stimulus that does not receive or need conscious thought.
(M.2) At least 36 reflex actions occur in humans,
including knee-jerk in response to a tap on the knee, pupillary light
reflex in response to light level, eye
blink, accommodation reflex to change the shape of the eye for focus
control, eye blink in response to a touch to the eye, gag reflex, cough
reflex, sneeze reflex, scratch reflex, startle reflex, baroreceptor
(blood pressure) reflex and photic sneeze reflex, in
additions to others. Infants experience several reflex actions
which diminish or disappear with maturity. These include asymmetrical tonic
neck reflex, palmomental reflex, Moro reflex, rootiong reflex, sucking reflex,
symmetrical tonic neck reflex, and tonic labyrinthine reflex.
(M.3) Reflex actions are the result of sensory
data from the outside world being sent over the system of sensory
neuron to directly interface with motor neuron that,
in turn, send neuromotor data over the system of neuromotor
neuron the muscles producing the actions without having
passed the sensory data through the brain for data
processing as thought, reasoning and decision
making. Reflex actions are unconscious and mindless, lacking
any mental intervention.
(M) Humans are capable of reflex actions resulting from sensory inputs that bypass the brain. These actions occur without any mental processing of sensory data for thought, reasoning or decision making.