Reflex Reflections: Basic Information about Spinal Galant Reflex 2/3

Preface about Primitive ReflexesNature provides each person with a set of involuntary patterns that start before birth and aid development. The Infant Reflex Patterns are automatic motor responses to sensory triggers. Changes in the sensory environment activate an involuntary patterned motor response. These early motor responses start working in utero as the sensory-motor systems of the fetus develop.

As each motor response is activated and sustained, the Upper Brain learns to direct the muscles involved and takes over voluntary control of the muscles that are used in the infant reflex patterns. The Upper Brain takes over, inhibits, and integrates the infant reflexes. Most early infant reflexes are typically inhibited by six months of age. Integration comes with voluntary use of the reflex patterns. Inhibition and integration of primitive reflexes does not mean that the reflexes are gone; these patterns remain stored in the brainstem and midbrain, coming forward as needed to protect and restore development during trauma.

Spinal Galant (2 of 3)

In the last entry, the history, description, development, and persistence of the Moro Reflex were described.

DEVELOPMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS OF SPINAL GALANT RELFLEX

An inhibited Spinal Galant Reflex acts as a spinal buffer of tactile information throughout the body. This buffer allows for tactile information throughout the body to be habituated. A mature nervous system needs to be able to adapt to regular touch. It is not advantageous for our brain to be made aware of all things that touch us, like clothing, furniture, hats, glasses, etc. Awareness of touch for all things in the regular environment interferes with attention to important information.

 An inhibited Spinal Galant Reflex guarantees that tactility must reach a certain threshold to gain attention. If the Spinal Galant Reflex is persistent, the buffer of tactile information is not available, making more tactile information getting into the brain. Often persistence results in a person who is not able to habituate or get used to things touching him or her. 

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH SPINAL GALANT REFLEX PERSISTENCE

Spinal Galant Reflex that has been hyperactively retained has been associated with tactile sensitivity, impulsiveness, bedwetting, and lack of differentiation. Extreme ticklishness is associated with retention; however normal ticklishness is not. 

Hyperactive Response Because of the activating nature of the Spinal Galant Reflex, hyperactive responses activate the autonomic nervous system and the adrenal functioning.  This can manifest into a system that has trouble enervating through the parasympathetic response.  In other words, self-calming and differentiation of response is more difficult.  Sitting still and static postures are more difficult to sustain.  Wetting (enuresis) is also associated with retention of this reflex. 

Hypoactivity in this response can appear as a lack of tone in trunk and hip area. A person with hypoactive Spinal Galant Reflex appears as ‘unfeeling’, because our sense of touch is one system that helps us to understand how others are feeling.

Hypoactive Response In the hypo-active side, lymph and liquid pooling is more common.  Usually the Perez Reflex is also hypo-active and can affect the cerebral spinal fluid pump at the base of the spine.  The lower back muscles can be low in tone.  Usually the other core reflex patterns are hypo-active as well.

RELATED REFLEX PATTERNS

Other reflexes can keep the Spinal Galant Reflex from inhibition and integration such as Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (ATNR) and Perez Reflex.

For more information about the Moro or other reflexes, contact Janet Oliver for an online mentoring session. These sessions can be lengths of 15 minutes up to 2 hours. Check at www.planforlearning.com for description, costs and contact information.