Exteroceptive and Tendon Reflexes in Various Behavioural States in the Newborn Infant

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Abstract
The knee jerk and a polysynaptric flexor reflex of cutaneous origin have been investigated polygraphically in newborn infants during different stages of natural sleep and during waking states. The knee jerk was unchanged or only slightly decreased in regular sleep (state 1) as compared to the waking state. There was a marked decrease or even an abolition of the reflex response during irregular sleep (state 2). The polysynaptic exteroceptive reflex was very weak or abolished during regular sleep. In irregular sleep it showed no or s light reduction compared to the waking state. The knee jerk did not cause any change in behavior and eeg. The polysynaptic reflex showed a marked behavioral and eeg-arousing effect Startles could be elicited occasionally by both types of stimulation, in state 1 more frequently than in state 2. Relations to findings in animal experiments and similar experiments in human adults are discussed. More detailed neurophysiological findings from experimental work in animals are reviewed.