Why do many reflexes, such as pulling your hand away from a hot iron, happen so quickly?

Question

Select one:
• a. They involve the neurotransmitter GABA rather than dopamine.
• b. The message involved does not have to go all the way to the brain.
• c. The speed of processing is faster in the frontal lobes than in the occipital lobes.
• d. The path that reflexes follow to the brain is direct and does

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

b. The message involved does not have to go all the way to the brain.

Reflex actions, such as pulling your hand away from a hot surface, occur quickly because they involve a reflex arc that bypasses the brain. The sensory neurons send the signal to the spinal cord, which then immediately relays the signal back through motor neurons to initiate the response, allowing for a rapid reaction to protect the body from harm without the need for conscious thought or processing in the brain.