In sports broadcasting, the phrase "quick réflexe" is often used to describe an athlete's ability to
react quickly. While it sounds good, it is Inaccurate, hiding the crucial distinction between reflex
and reaction time. Though both contribute to athletic skills, these processes work on different
neural pathways and serve distinct purposes.
Reflexes are those instantaneous, involuntary reactions we have to stimuli. Think of flinching
when a ball comes toward you. That is a reflex right there. The neural pathway for a reflex is
called a reflex arc, which is a super-speedy circuit. A sensory neuron will detect the stimulus,
and the signal goes straight to a motor neuron in the spinal cord, bypassing the brain altogether.
This direct connection triggers an immediate muscle response, allowing us to deal with it
consciously before processing it. This is why doctors tap on your knee with a hammer to test the
integrity of your reflex.
Reaction time, on the other hand, involves a more complex and voluntary process. It's the time it
takes to perceive a stimulus and decide to act upon it consciously. Unlike reflex, reaction time
does go through your brain. The sensory neuron still detects the stimulus, but now the signal will
travel through the brain for processing. Then, the brain analyzes the information and decides to
take the appropriate action, then sends a signal to the motor neurons to execute that action. This
journey to and from the brain is delayed, making reaction time much slower than reflex time.
Athletes will rely on both but balance them out depending on which sport and the situation they
are given. A baseball catcher needs lightning-fast reflexes to snatch a foul tip, a reflexive action.
However, throwing to second or third base to try and catch a runner requires reaction time, as the
catcher needs to process the situation, make a conscious decision, and choose the best one.
To conclude, saying an athlete has a "quick reflex" is oversimplified. While quick réflexes are
valuable, they are only one puzzle piece. Athletes are trained to have top-tier reflexes and hone
their reaction time, allowing them to process information fast and make split-second decisions
under pressure. This combination of involuntary and conscious responses defines an athlete's
ability to react effectively.
Source: Khan Academy. (n.d.). Overview of neuron structure and function. Khan Academy.
Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/human-biology/neuron-nervoussystem/a/overview-of-neuron-structure-and-function
MyTutor. (n.d.). What is a reflex arc and how does it work?. MyTutor. Retrieved from
https://www.mytutor.co.uk/answers/3483/A-Level/Biology/What-is-a-reflex-arc-and-how-doesit-work/
Purves, D., Augustine, G. J., Fitzpatrick, D., Hall, W. C., LaMantia, A.-S., McNamara, A.
O., ... & White, L. E.(2015). Nerve cells and behavior. In Neuroscience (5th ed.). Sinauer
Associates. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10796/
Jeremy Noble: lecture 5 Neuroanatomy of
Motor Behaviour
Jeremy Noble: lecture 6 Sensory
Contributions to Motor Control