Synonyms
Definition
The Babinski reflex is a component of the neurological exam, used to assess the adequacy of the pyramidal tract (upper motor neuron). This reflex is elicited by making contact along the lateral side of the plantar foot with a blunt implement and not causing pain, discomfort, or injury to the skin; the implement is run from the heel along a curve to the metatarsal pads. There are three responses possible:
Extensor (positive or pathological): hallux (great toe) extension and the other toes abduct (fanning)
Flexor (negative or normal): all toes flex and the foot everts
Indifferent: no response
Current Knowledge
An extensor (positive) response signifies pathology in the upper motor neuron pathways, either in the spinal cord and/or brain, such as in multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord injury. It may be the sole sign of upper motor neuron damage and is the most popular reflex for...
References and Readings
Babinski, J. (1896). Sur le reflexe cutane plantaire dans certaines affections organiques du systeme nerveux central. Comptes Rendus des Seances de la Societe de Biologie et de Ses Filiales, 48, 207–208.
Larner, A. J. (2016). A dictionary of neurological signs (4th ed.). Basel: Springer.
Pearson, K., & Gordon, J. (2000). Spinal reflexes. In E. R. Kandel, J. H. Schwartz, & T. M. Jessell (Eds.), Principles of neural science (4th ed., pp. 713–736). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Wong, E., Kunz, R. (2016). Babinski Reflex. In: Kreutzer, J., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_6-3
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56782-2_6-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-56782-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-56782-2
eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences