Superficial Reflexes

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

Corneal reflex

• (CN5v1, CN7)
• Involuntary blinking in response to corneal stimulation.
• Afferent: Ophthalmic branch (V1) of trigeminal nerve (5th nerve) stimulated via a q-tip to the eye
• Efferent: Facial nerve (7th nerve) (closes eyelid)

Abdominal reflex

• (T7-12)
• Contraction of superficial abdominal muscles when stroking abdomen lightly (lateral to medial).
• Significant if asymmetric: Usually signifies a UMN lesion on the absent side.

Cremasteric reflex

• (L1, L2):
• Contraction of cremaster muscle (that will pull up the scrotum/testis) after stroking the same side of superior/inner thigh.
• Absent with: SCI and corticospinal lesions.

Plantar reflex

• (S1-S2, Tibial nerve):
• The plantarflexion of toes is elicited when stroking of the lateral sole of the foot from calcaneus to base of 5th metatarsal.
• Dorsiflexion of the great toe and fanning of the four small toes: Abnormal or “Babinski Present”, which is seen with corticospinal/UMN lesions.

Anal reflex

• Reflexive contraction of the external anal sphincter upon stroking the skin around the anus
• Afferent: Pudendal nerve
• Efferent: S2-S4

Bulbocavernosus reflex

• Anal sphincter contraction in response to squeezing the glans penis or tugging on an indwelling Foley catheter.
• Reflex mediated by S2-S4.
• It is the first reflex to come after SCI: It is an indicator that the body is out of spinal shock.