Reflexes Flashcards
abdominal reflex
- T8-L1
- stroke briskly and lightly with a blunt object (tongue depressor) from each quadrant of the abdomen in a diagonal manner towards the umbilicus
normal response
- contraction of the abdominals and deviation of the umbilicus in the direction of the stimulus
corneal “blink” reflex
- trigeminal and facial nerves
- ask the patient to look up and away from you; stroke the cornea using a piece of cotton
normal response
- both eyes will blink with contact to one eye
cremasteric reflex
- L1-L2
- scratch the skin of the upper medial thigh
normal response
- a brisk and brief elevation of the testicle on the ipsilateral side
gag reflex
- glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves
- the therapist lightly stimulates each side of the back of the throat and notes the reaction
normal response
- a gag will occur post stimulation; may be absent in some percentage of the normal population
plantar reflex
- L5-S1
- stroke the lateral aspect of the sole of the foot with the blunt end of a reflex hammer from the heel to the ball of the foot and medially to the base of the great tow
normal response
- flexion of the toes
hyperreflexia
- hyperactivity or clonic reflexes
- indicative of a suprasegmental lesion (a lesion above the level of the spinal reflex pathways)
hyporeflexia
- diminished or absent response to tapping of the tendon
- indicative of a disease that involves one or multiple components of the reflex arc
DTR grade 0
no response
always abnormal
DTR grade 1+
diminished/depressed response
may or may not be normal
DTR grade 2+
active normal response
normal
DTR 3+
brisk/exaggerated response
may or may not be normal
DTR 4+
very brisk/hyperactive
always abnormal
peripheral neuropathy
- most common etiology surrounding absent reflexes
- diabetes
- alcoholism
- vitamin deficiencies
- certain cancers
- certain toxins
- present with sensory, motor or mixed impairments
