Reflex Kitaeva

The Kitaev reflex is an unconditioned reflex first described by Russian physiologist Nikolai Kitaev in 1896.

The essence of the reflex is as follows: if the nasal mucosa of a person or animal is exposed to an irritant (for example, a drop of water), then sneezing occurs in response. This happens according to the principle of an unconditional reflex - without the participation of consciousness, automatically.

The reflex path is as follows:

1. Irritation of receptors in the nasal mucosa
2. Excitation of nerve fibers of the trigeminal nerve
3. Transmission of the impulse to the sneezing center located in the medulla oblongata
4. Transmission of impulse from the sneezing center to the muscles of the nose, mouth, larynx, lungs, and abdominal muscles
5. Contraction of these muscles, leading to a sharp exhalation - sneezing

Thus, the Kitaev reflex illustrates the work of the simplest reflex arc and is a classic example of an unconditioned reflex. It was important for studying the mechanisms of reflex activity of the nervous system.