Master the Somatic Reflex Arc

The somatic reflex arc is the neural pathway resulting in involuntary actions, also known as reflexes. An afferent sensory neuron receives some sort of sensory input or stimulus and transmits it toward the integration center. Interneurons integrate the signal (if there are multiple sensory inputs) and transmit the signal to the efferent motor neuron. In normal neural pathways, all input goes to the brain for processing. However, in reflexes, the input is processed in the interneurons instead, which allows for faster response. The efferent motor neuron stimulates muscle, or any effector target, into conducting the reflex action. The integration occurs in the spinal cord instead of the brain. Some reflexes have multiple interneurons, but simple reflex arcs only have one neuron separating the sensory neuron and effector neuron.