The knee jerk can be classified as a segmental reflex because:
A)the center of the reflex arc lies in the spinal cord gray matter.
B)impulses that mediate it enter and leave the same segment of the cord.
C)the impulses that mediate it come from and go to the same side of the body.
D)of the kind of stimulation used to evoke it.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The knee jerk reflex is a segmental reflex because the impulses that mediate it enter and leave the same segment of the spinal cord. The center of the reflex arc lies in the gray matter of the spinal cord, and the impulses that mediate it come from and go to the same side of the body as the stimulated muscle. However, these characteristics are not unique to segmental reflexes and are shared by all reflexes. Therefore, the key characteristic that distinguishes the knee jerk reflex as a segmental reflex is that its impulses enter and leave the same spinal cord segment.

The Knee Jerk Can Be Classified as a Segmental Reflex