Adan Guleed, Larner Andrew J
Department of Neurology, The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Department of Brain Repair & Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
J Hist Neurosci. 2025 Jul-Sep;34(3):509-516. doi: 10.1080/0964704X.2024.2443142. Epub 2025 Jan 7.
The knee jerk reflex, emblematic of neurology and central to clinical practice, marks its 150th anniversary in 2025. First introduced to the neurological literature in 1875 through independent reports by Wilhelm Erb and Carl Westphal, this reflex has since evolved from a clinical curiosity to a diagnostic staple, although its initial interpretation was debated. Erb viewed it as a spinal reflex, whereas Westphal questioned its reflex nature, considering mechanical muscle excitation. Early pioneers such as John Hughlings Jackson, Victor Horsley, and Charles Sherrington made significant contributions to understanding the knee jerk's physiology, exploring its diagnostic relevance, its relation to spinal cord function, and its afferent pathways. These investigations established the knee jerk as a cornerstone of neurological examination, exemplifying the integration of clinical observation with experimental science.
膝跳反射是神经学的象征，也是临床实践的核心，2025年将迎来其诞生150周年。1875年，威廉·埃尔布（Wilhelm Erb）和卡尔·韦斯特法尔（Carl Westphal）的独立报告首次将其引入神经学文献，此后，尽管其最初的解释存在争议，但该反射已从一种临床好奇发展成为一种诊断主要手段。埃尔布认为它是一种脊髓反射，而韦斯特法尔则质疑其反射性质，认为是肌肉的机械性兴奋。约翰·休林斯·杰克逊（John Hughlings Jackson）、维克多·霍斯利（Victor Horsley）和查尔斯·谢灵顿（Charles Sherrington）等早期先驱者在理解膝跳反射的生理学、探索其诊断相关性、与脊髓功能的关系及其传入通路方面做出了重大贡献。这些研究将膝跳反射确立为神经学检查的基石，体现了临床观察与实验科学的结合。
