Does watching someone else relieve a nagging itch spark the same impulse in you? A study in mice suggests contagious itching may have evolved as a reflex to protect animals from threats. Now, Chen and ...

Since the distal part of the intestine is targeted by a wide range of pathogens, the motility of the recto-anal region has been the object of many experimental and clinical observations. In this study ...

Reflex arcs are your body’s built-in autopilot, allowing you to respond instantly to danger without conscious thought. From the knee-jerk test at the doctor’s office to pulling your hand away from a ...

This study investigates changes in spinal excitability using peripheral nerve stimulation. We use the Hoffman reflex (H-reflex) to assess segmental changes following a neuroplasticity-priming ...

When you touch a hot stove, your hand pulls away via a spinal reflex before you feel the burn—and the brain may use a similar shortcut for sudden, threatening sounds.