Neither a general flexor nor a withdrawal pattern of nociceptive reflexes evoked from the human foot

In humans motor reactions to noxious radiant heat stimulation of the sole a nd the dorsum of the foot do not resemble a locally specific pattern of mul tiple modular withdrawal reflexes but rather a general flexion reflex patte rn with a few exceptions which did neither fit a withdrawal nor a flexion r eflex pattern. The partly observed excitatory feed back to foot extensors f rom nociceptive afferents of the foot sole is functionally discussed as a f oot stabilizing mechanism under particular conditions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Sc ience Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.