Cutaneous withdrawal reflexes of the upper extremity
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2026

Acute and Chronic Tactile Sensory Testing after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Published on: April 4, 2012
M K Floeter1, C Gerloff, J Kouri
1EMG Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1404, USA.
Abstract:
We characterized reflexes of the upper limb elicited by electrical stimulation of the fingers. Surface electromyogram (EMG) was recorded from several upper extremity muscles, and a finger was stimulated through paired ring electrodes. A train of 4-10 shocks at a frequency of 300 Hz and an intensity 4-6 times the perceptual threshold was the most effective stimulus for evoking EMG activity in relaxed arm muscles. Habituation was prominent. Latencies of EMG activity were <100 ms for most proximal and forearm muscles, and at least 40 ms prior to voluntary withdrawal movements. The timing of EMG activity in arm muscles was similar to that of the E2 component of the cutaneomuscular reflex evoked in these same muscles during contraction, and coincided with a silent period in active hand muscles. We conclude that cutaneous stimuli to the fingers activate a complex motor pattern that tends to withdraw the hand at the same time the grasp is released.
Related Concept Videos
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...
Reflex Activity
A reflex exam is a diagnostic procedure performed by a healthcare professional to evaluate the functionality of a patient's...
Sensory Functions of the Skin
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...
Arteries of the Upper Limbs
Early Reflexes During Infancy
Spinal Nerves: Plexus I
The Cervical Plexus
The cervical plexus, formed by the anterior rami of the first four...
