Primitive Reflexes and Their Role in Nervous System Development

Primitive reflexes (PRs) are foundational components of the human nervous system, and serve as essential building blocks for complex motor and cognitive functions. These automatic, involuntary movements are present at birth and were thought to integrate as the child matures, usually by the age of 8. Controlled by cranial nerves in the brainstem—a primitive part of the brain—these reflexes maintain a balance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems to support motor movement, decision-making, and emotional regulation. When PRs remain reactive (retained) or reemerge later in life, they disrupt vagal nerve signals and leave the body in a heightened state of arousal, with higher levels of stress hormones along the HPA axis.

Hypoxia in Long COVID and Its Impact on the Krebs Cycle

The Current Understanding of Long COVID in Western Medicine

Long COVID, officially known as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC), presents with symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, dysautonomia, and exercise intolerance. Despite its prevalence, Western medicine has yet to identify a unifying mechanism behind these symptoms. Proposed causes include immune dysregulation, persistent inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, microclotting, and viral persistence. Treatment remains symptomatic and fragmented. The condition exposes critical gaps in how chronic systemic illnesses are approached within the biomedical model.

The Role of Primitive Reflexes - Character and Structure

The development of the ANS, including proper vagal tone and a healthy fight/flight/freeze response, is dependent on primitive reflexes that present in the earliest life stages. Primitive reflexes are innate, instinctual, and involuntary movements that initially offer protective movements to sensory stimuli (Pryor). More simply, they are life-saving movements to protect us from harmful sensations. The withdrawal from a hot object wasn't learned—it is a reflex.