| digital reflex | <clinical sign> In latent tetany mild mechanical stimulation of the trigeminal nerve causes severe pain, flexion of the terminal phalanx of the thumb and of the second and third phalanges of one or more of the fingers when the volar surface of the terminal phalanx of the fingers is flicked. Synonym: digital reflex, Hoffmann's reflex, snapping reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| diving reflex | A reflex by which immersing the face or body in water, especially cold water, tends to cause bradycardia and peripheral vasoconstriction; mean aortic pressure is little affected because the reduction in cardiac output tends to balance the increased peripheral resistance that reduces peripheral blood flow. Although relatively minor in most humans, the changes can be profound in some diving species of animal, e.g., ducks and seals. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal reflex | Contraction of the muscles of the back elicited by cutaneous stimulation over the erector spinal muscle. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsum pedis reflex | Percussion of the dorsum of the foot causes flexion of the toes; present in a pyramidal lesion. Synonym: dorsum pedis reflex, Mendel-Bechterew reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inborn reflex | A reflex such as breathing that is innate. (05 Mar 2000) |
| quadriceps reflex | A sudden contraction of the anterior muscles of the thigh, caused by a smart tap on the patellar tendon while the leg hangs loosely at a right angle with the thigh. Synonym: knee jerk, knee phenomenon, knee reflex, knee-jerk reflex, patellar tendon reflex, quadriceps reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| quadripedal extensor reflex | Extension of the arm of a hemiplegic patient when turned prone as if on all fours. Synonym: Brain's reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| innate reflex | An unlearned or instinctive reflex such as sucking, which is present at birth. (05 Mar 2000) |
| interscapular reflex | Contraction of the upper muscles of the back by stimulation between the scapulae. Synonym: interscapular reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| intrinsic reflex | A reflex muscular contraction elicited by the application of a stimulus, usually stretching, to the muscle itself as opposed to a muscular contraction caused by an extrinsic stimulus, e.g., skin, as in the abdominal skin reflex's. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inverted radial reflex | Flexion of the fingers without flexion of the forearm, on tapping the lower end of the radius; regarded as indicating a lesion of the fifth cervical segment of the spinal cord. (05 Mar 2000) |
| inverted reflex | Any reflex in which the usual response is reversed or does not conform to the pattern characteristic of the particular reflex. Synonym: inverted reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |
| investigatory reflex | An aspect of attending in which an organism's initial response to a change or to a novel stimulus is such that the organism becomes more sensitive to the stimulation; e.g., dilation of the pupil of the eye in response to dim light. Synonym: investigatory reflex, orienting response. (05 Mar 2000) |
| ipsilateral reflex | A reflex in which the response occurs on the side of the body that is stimulated. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oculocardiac reflex | A decrease in pulse rate associated with traction on extraocular muscles or compression of the eyeball; especially sensitive in children; may produce asystolic cardiac arrest. Synonym: Aschner's phenomenon, Aschner's reflex, Aschner-Dagnini reflex, oculovagal reflex. (05 Mar 2000) |