Definition
The palmomental reflex is elicited by lightly scratching the palmar surface of the hand with the pointed end of a reflex hammer. If present, the ipsilateral mentalis muscle of the chin will contract. Each hand should be tested separately. It is one of the frontal release signs, primitive reflexes that are normal in infants, disappear with brain maturation allowing inhibition, and reappear (are “released”) in disorders that affect the frontal lobes.
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References and Readings
Goetz, C. G. (2007). Textbook of clinical neurology (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders.
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Salloway, S.P. (2018). Palmomental Reflex. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1903
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1903
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