The architecture of the reflex arc
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 9, 2026

Electrophysiological Investigations of Retinogeniculate and Corticogeniculate Synapse Function
Published on: August 7, 2019
1Department of Psychophysiology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Abstract:
The identification of local detectors, command neurons, and modulator neurons has opened up the possibility of the structural identification of individual synaptic contacts supporting the functioning of the reflex arc. Nonassociative plasticity (habituation and sensitization) are [sic] realized at the level of the receptors and potential-dependent calcium channels through dephosphorylation-phosphorylation of receptor and channel proteins. Associative plasticity (the development and extinction of the conditioned reflex) includes two levels of regulation: short-term (through dephosphorylation-phosphorylation of receptor and channel proteins) and long-term (through the expression of genes coding structural and translocational genes). Its selectivity is an extremely important characteristic of associative plasticity. The mechanism of associative plasticity is based on the principles of the Hebb plastic synapse, supplemented by indication of the role of nonspecific (modulating) influences.
More Related Videos
11:39Simultaneous Whole-cell Recordings from Photoreceptors and Second-order Neurons in an Amphibian Retinal Slice Preparation
Published on: June 1, 2013
11:42Electrophysiological Method for Recording Intracellular Voltage Responses of Drosophila Photoreceptors and Interneurons to Light Stimuli In Vivo
Published on: June 19, 2016
Related Concept Videos
Reflex Activity
A reflex exam is a diagnostic procedure performed by a healthcare professional to evaluate the functionality of a patient's...
Anatomy of the Eyeball
The Retina
Vision
Neural Circuits
Neuronal pools are collections of nerve cells with similar functions and interact through chemical and electrical signals. These pools include both interneurons (the central neural circuit nodes that...
Somatic Spinal Reflexes
One of the most well-known somatic spinal reflexes is the stretch reflex, which is activated by the sudden stretching of a muscle. This reflex involves the activation of specialized sensory receptors called muscle spindles, which are located in the muscle tissue and detect changes in the length and speed of muscle contractions. When a muscle is suddenly...