reflex arc, neurological and sensory mechanism that controls a reflex, an immediate response to a particular stimulus. The primary components of the reflex arc are the sensory neurons (or receptors) that receive stimulation and in turn connect to other nerve cells that activate muscle cells (or effectors), which perform the reflex action.
The simplest arrangement of a reflex arc consists of the receptor, an interneuron (or adjustor), and an effector; together, these units form a functional group. Sensory cells carry input from the receptor (afferent impulses) to a central interneuron, which makes contact with a motor neuron. The motor neuron carries efferent impulses to the effector, which produces the response. Three types of neurons are involved in this reflex arc, but a two-neuron arc, in which the receptor makes contact directly with the motor neuron, also occurs. In a two-neuron arc, simple reflexes are prompt, short-lived, and automatic and involve only a part of the body. Examples of simple reflexes are the contraction of a muscle in response to stretching, the blink of the eye when the cornea is touched, and salivation at the sight of food. Reflexes of these types are usually involved in maintaining homeostasis.