Palmomental reflex????

kerks23

hi doc! do you know what type of reflex is PALMOMENTAL REFLEX? how does it done? response? indication?

thank you very much :cool: GOD BLESS!

Ira

This is a neurological exam which isn't really commonly performed. You stroke the thenar eminence on the palm of one hand, and if the muscle of the chin of the same side (the mentalis muscle) twitches, that signifies a positive palmomental reflex. If it's positive, it's a frontal lobe releasing sign, meaning, there's damage on the contralateral side of the frontal lobe. However, a positive sign in the absence of other signs and symptoms doesn't necessarily mean a frontal lobe damage.

evenflow

I've actually seen this in one patient.

He sustained a frontal lobe contusion from a vehicular accident. He also had several skull bone fractures with pneumocephaly.

A senior resident in neurosurgery demonstrated the palmomental reflex to me thru this patient.

Fortunately, the patient's hospital course went well and he was discharged a few days later.

kerks23

geesh thanks for the response...... another thing is......... how does it categorize what i meant was..... primitive? or pathologic?
kc i know that it is pathologis and i was confused when i read "Physical Rehabilitation & Medicine" by BRADDOM which says, that it is a PRIMITIVE REFLEX.......

any comments?????

Ira

Primitive reflexes elicited in non-neonates are pathologic. A positive palmomental reflex isn't necessarily abnormal in neonates. However, once you get past the neonatal stage, you are supposed to lose this reflex. Persistence of this primitive reflex is thus roughly equivalent to pathologic past newborn stage.

kerks23

is palmomental reflex consistent with neonatals?
until what age ba? is it until the fist month?
THANKS ulit DOC! :cool:

Ira

4-6 months.