The corneal reflex may be elicited by lightly touching the cornea with a wisp of cotton; this sensory stimulus is transmitted by the first branch of the trigeminal nerve to the brainstem. There, thanks to connections of the trigeminal nerve with the facial (motor) nerve, a motor response occurs leading to contraction of the orbicularis oculi. The result is blinking or closing the eye on the same side. Thus this reflex is a brainstem and not a cord-mediated reflex.
yes it is somatic
To protect the eye from external damage.
damage to cranial nerve II
A. abdominal reflex B. Achilles jerk D. corneal reflex E. crossed extensor reflex F. gag reflex G. patellar reflex H. plantar reflex
both eyes
corneal
It is the 7th cranial nerve (facial nerve).
A reflex is an automatic response that only involves one part of an organism's body. Examples include the pupillary light reflex, patellar reflex and corneal reflex.
The Pupillary Light Reflex and the Corneal Reflex (or Blink Reflex) are two important reflexes because the Light Reflex prevents damage to eye compopents related to over exposure to light and also helps the eye to accommodate visually, when there is less light; The Blink Reflex prevents objects from entering the eye and lubricates the eye. Also, breathing and heart beat are thought to be reflex actions.
Protects the eye from intruders. The elicited response of the eye (tears) cleanses the eye of contaminants before it has enough time to become infected.
This particular reflex is autonomic as the affected muscle, constrictor pupillae muscle, is a smooth muscle and not under conscious control. Typically if you can consciously contract the muscle, any reflex associated with that muscle is somatic in nature.
The best examples of this is to shin a light in one eye and both pupils constrict. You are testing cranial nerve II.Or the corneal reflex (touch one cornea) both eyes blink, a test of CN VII or the palpebral reflex, touch one eye lid or lashes and both eyes blink, another test of CN VII.