Mayer reflex
Contents
Mayer Reflex:
Position of Hand for Reflex elicitation
Patient’s hand bent at the wrist
Reflex elicitation
Proximal phalanx of the Middle finger is pushed down, slowly but forcefully by the examiners thumb
Patient’s thumb then opposes and flexes.
Proximal phalanx of the Middle finger is pushed down, slowly but forcefully by the examiners thumb.
Result –
Patient’s thumb then opposes and flexes.
SIMILAR REFLEXES
Hoffman Reflex
Hoffman Reflex : hold the slightly bent fingers of the patient between thumb
and index finger and snap the nail.
Result – A quick flexion of this or all fingers will occur.
Mechanism of Positive Hoffmann’s Reflex
Sudden stretch of the finger flexors causes involuntary finger flexor contraction due to activation of a monosynaptic stretch reflex.
Exaggeration of the reflex is caused by hyperreflexia in the setting of upper motor neuron dysfunction.
Tromner Reflex
Tromner Reflex: The patient’s hand is placed a relaxed position with fingers slightly bent. The
middle finger is held by the examiner at the middle phalanx. The examiner flicks the
distal phalanx of this middle finger.
Result – A brief flexor motion of the middle or other fingers