Information about Primitive Reflexes

Primitive reflexes are reflex actions originating in the brain stem that are exhibited by infants but not adults in response to particular stimuli. These reflexes disappear or are inhibited by the frontal lobes as a child moves through normal child development.[1] These primitive reflexes are also called infantile, infant or newborn reflexes.

Older children and adults with atypical neurology (for instance, people with cerebral palsy) may retain these reflexes and primitive reflexes may re-appear in adults due to certain neurological conditions including, but not limited to, dementia, traumatic lesions, and strokes.[2][3] An individual with cerebral palsy and typical intelligence can learn to suppress these reflexes, but the reflex might resurface under certain conditions such as during an extreme startle reaction. Reflexes may also be limited to those areas affected by the atypical neurology, such as individuals whose cerebral palsy affects only their legs retaining the Babinski reflex but having normal speech. In individuals with hemiplegia, the reflex might be seen in the foot on the affected side only.

Primitive reflexes are also tested with suspected brain injury to test the functioning of the frontal lobe. If they are not being suppressed properly they are called frontal release signs. Atypical primitive reflexes are also being researched as potential early warning signs of autistic spectrum disorders.[4]

Moro reflex

Main article: Moro reflex
This is sometimes referred to as the startle reaction, startle response, startle reflex or embrace reflex. It is more commonly known as the Moro response or Moro reflex after its discoverer, pediatrician Ernst Moro.

The Moro reflex is present at birth, peaks in the first month of life and begins to disappear around 2 months of age. It is likely to occur if the infant's head suddenly shifts position, the temperature changes abruptly, or they are startled by a sudden noise. The legs and head extend while the arms jerk up and out with the palms up and thumbs flexed. Shortly afterward the arms are brought together and the hands clench into fists, and the infant cries loudly.[5] The reflex normally disappears by three to four months of age,[6] though it may last up to six months.[7] Bilateral absense of the reflex may mean damage to the infant's central nervous system while a unilateral absence could mean an injury due to birth trauma such as a fractured clavicle or injury to the brachial plexus. Erb's palsy or some other form of paralysis is also sometimes present in such cases.[6]

Walking/stepping reflex

The walking or stepping reflex is present at birth; though infants this young can not support their own weight, when the soles of their feet touch a flat surface they will attempt to 'walk' by placing one foot in front of the other. This reflex disappears as an automatic response and reappears as a voluntary behavior at around a year old.

Rooting reflex

The Rooting reflex is present at birth and assists in breastfeeding, disappearing at around four months of age as it gradually comes under voluntary control. A newborn infant will turn their head toward anything that strokes their cheek or mouth, searching for the object by moving their heads in steadily decreasing arcs until the object is found. After becoming used to responding in this way (if breastfed, approximately three weeks after birth), the infant will move directly to the object without a "search".

Sucking reflex

The sucking reflex is common to all mammals and is present at birth. It is linked with the rooting reflex and breastfeeding, and causes the child to instinctively suck at anything that touches the roof of their mouth. There are two stages to the action:
  1. Expression: activated when the nipple is placed between a child's lips and touches their palate. They will instinctively press it between their tongue and palate to draw out the milk.
  2. Milking: The tongue moves from areola to nipple, coaxing milk from the mother to be swallowed by the child. Coordination on of these movements with breathing and swallowing is instinctual, but not perfect.

Tonic neck reflex

The tonic neck reflex, asymmetric tonic neck reflex or 'fencing posture' is present at birth and disappears at around four months. When the child's head is turned to the side, the arm on that side will straighten and the opposite arm will bend (sometimes the motion will be very subtle or slight). If the infant is unable to move out of this position or the reflex continues to be triggered past six months of age, the child may have a disorder of the upper motor neurons.

Palmar grasp reflex

The palmar grasp reflex appears at birth and persists until five or six months of age. When an object is placed in the infant's hand and strokes their palm, the fingers will close and they will grasp it. The grip is strong but unpredictable; though it may be able to support the child's weight, they may also release their grip suddenly and without warning. The reverse motion can be induced by stroking the back or side of the hand.

Plantar reflex

Main article: Plantar reflex
The plantar reflex or plantar grasp is present at birth and fades around the infant's first birthday. The plantar reflex causes the infant's toes to curl up tightly when something rubs the ball of their foot.

Babinski reflex

Often confused with the plantar reflex, the Babinski reflex is also present at birth and fades around the first year. The Babinski reflex appears when the side of the foot is stroked, causing the toes to fan out and the hallux to extend. The reflex is caused by a lack of myelination in the corticospinal tract in young children. The Babinski reflex is a sign of neurological abnormality in adults.

Galant reflex

Main article: Galant reflex
The galant reflex, also known as Galant’s infantile reflex, is present at birth and fades between the ages of four to six months. When the skin along the side of an infant's back is stroked, the infant will swing towards the side that was stroked. If the reflex persists past six months of age, it is a sign of pathology. The reflex is named after the Russian neurologist Johann Susman Galant.[8]

References

1. ^ Primitive & Postural Reflexes (php) (english). Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
2. ^ Rauch, Daniel (2006-10-05). Infantile reflexes on MedLinePlus (html) (english). Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
3. ^ Schott JM, Rossor MN (2003). "The grasp and other primitive reflexes". J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. 74 (5): 558–60. PMID 12700289. 
4. ^ Teitelbaum O, Benton T, Shah PK, Prince A, Kelly JL, Teitelbaum P (2004). "Eshkol-Wachman movement notation in diagnosis: the early detection of Asperger's syndrome". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 101 (32): 11909–14. DOI:10.1073/pnas.0403919101. PMID 15282371. 
5. ^ Alex Gray; The American Academy of Pediatrics; Stephen P. Shelov; Robert E. Hannemann; Wendy Wray. Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5. London: Bantam. ISBN 0-553-37962-3. 
6. ^ Rauch, Daniel (MedlinePlus) (2006-10-05). MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Moro Reflex (html) (english). Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
7. ^ Keeping Kids Healthy: Newborn Reflexes (html) (english) (2001-10-14). Retrieved on 2007-10-11.
8. ^ The Galant Reflex.

External links

ReFLEX is a wireless protocol developed by Motorola which is used for two-way paging. It is based on the one-way FLEX protocol and comes in two variants, ReFLEX25 and ReFLEX50. Later version 2.7 of the ReFLEX protocol was released. Devices compliant with ReFLEX 2.7.
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The brain stem is the lower part of the brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the spinal cord. Most sources consider the pons, medulla oblongata, and midbrain all to be part of the brainstem.
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In physiology, a stimulus is a detectable change in the internal or external environment. When a stimulus is applied to a sensory receptor, it elicits or influences a reflex via stimulus transduction. A stimulus is often the first component of a homeostatic control system.
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The frontal lobe is an area in the brain of mammals. Located at the front of each cerebral hemisphere, frontal lobes are positioned in front of (anterior to) the parietal lobes. The temporal lobes are located beneath and behind the frontal lobes.
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Child development is the study or examination of mechanisms that operate during the biological and psychological process of growth of a child to adolescence, from dependency to increasing autonomy. Pediatrics is the branch of medicine relating to the care of children.
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Neurology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Medical professionals (such as Biomedical Doctors and Physicians) specializing in the field of neurology are called neurologists
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MeSH D002547

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive,[1] non-contagious diseases that cause physical disability in human development.

The incidence in developed countries is approximately 2.12–2.
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Dimentia
Classification & external resources

ICD-10 F 00. -F 07.
ICD-9 290 - 294

DiseasesDB 29283
MedlinePlus 000739

Dementia (from Latin de- "apart, away" + mens (genitive mentis
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Lesion is derived from the Latin word "laesio" which means "injury."

A lesion is any abnormal tissue found on or in an organism, usually damaged by disease or trauma.

Causes of lesions

Lesions are caused by any process that damages tissues.
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Stroke
Classification & external resources

ICD-10 I 61. -I 64.
ICD-9 435 - 436

OMIM 601367
DiseasesDB 2247
MedlinePlus 000726pi
eMedicine neuro/9   emerg/558 emerg/557 pmr/187
MeSH D020521

Stroke (or
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The startle reaction, also called startle response or alarm reaction, is the response of mind and body to a sudden unexpected stimulus, such as a flash of light, a loud noise, or a quick movement near the face.
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In medicine and neurology, the Babinski reflex or Babinski sign is a reflex that can identify disease of the spinal cord and brain and also exists as a primitive reflex in infants.
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MeSH D006429 Hemiplegia is a condition where there is paralysis in one vertical half of a patient's body. This is not hemiparesis wherein one half of the body is weakened, i.e. one arm and its corresponding leg are weak.
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MeSH D001930

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), traumatic injuries to the brain, also called intracranial injury, or simply head injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage.
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Frontal release signs are primitive reflexes seen in disorders that affect the frontal lobes, such as dementias, metabolic encephalopathies, closed head injuries, and hydrocephalus.
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Autism
Classification & external resources

Obsessively stacking or lining up objects may indicate autism.
ICD-10 F 84.0
ICD-9 299.0

OMIM 209850
DiseasesDB 1142
MedlinePlus 001526
eMedicine med/3202   ped/180
MeSH D001321
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The Moro reflex, also known as the startle reflex, is one of the infantile reflexes. It may be observed in incomplete form in premature birth after the 28th week of gestation, and is usually present in complete form by week 34 (third trimester).
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The startle reaction, also called startle response or alarm reaction, is the response of mind and body to a sudden unexpected stimulus, such as a flash of light, a loud noise, or a quick movement near the face.
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The Moro reflex, also known as the startle reflex, is one of the infantile reflexes. It may be observed in incomplete form in premature birth after the 28th week of gestation, and is usually present in complete form by week 34 (third trimester).
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Pediatrics (also spelled paediatrics) is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents (from newborn to age 14-21, depending on the country).
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Ernst Moro (b. 8 December, 1874 in Laibach (presently Ljubljana), Slovenia; d. 1951) was an Austrian physician and pediatrician who discovered the infant reflex which was named after him (Moro reflex).

Moro studied medicine in Graz, Austria, getting his M.D. in 1899.
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A fist is a hand that has the fingers curled into the palm and the thumb retracted. This is typically used in unarmed combat, such as fist-fighting. See also Punch (strike). The clenched fist hand gesture is a sign of defiance in some cultures.
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The central nervous system (CNS) represents the largest part of the nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord. Together with the peripheral nervous system, it has a fundamental role in the control of behavior.
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Birth trauma can refer to:
  • The theorized psychological trauma of childbirth, as described at Pre- and perinatal psychology
  • The physical trauma of childbirth, as described at ICD-10 codes P10-P15.

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bone fracture is a medical condition in which a bone breaks. A bone fracture can also occur as a result of certain medical conditions that weaken the bones, such as osteoporosis, certain types of cancer or Osteogenesis Imperfecta.

Any type of bone break is a fracture.
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Collarbone and collar bone redirect here. The eye abnormality is correctly spelled coloboma.
This article uses some professional terms to describe relative positions and directions.

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The brachial plexus is an arrangement of nerve fibres, running from the spine, specifically from above the fifth cervical vertebra to underneath the first thoracic vertebra (C5-T1). It proceeds through the neck, the axilla (armpit region) and into the arm.
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Erb's palsy
Classification & external resources

Brachial plexus
ICD-10 P 14.0
ICD-9 767.6

DiseasesDB 30827

Erb's Palsy (Erb-Duchenne Palsy, Brachial plexus paralysis
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Paralysis is the complete loss of muscle function for one or more muscle groups. Paralysis often includes loss of feeling in the affected area.

Causes

Paralysis is most often caused by damage to the nervous system or brain, especially the spinal cord.
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WALK is the callsign for two radio stations on Long Island:
  • WALK (AM), a station located at 1370 AM and licensed to East Patchogue, New York.
  • WALK-FM, a station located at 97.5 FM and licensed to Patchogue, New York.

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