What are plantar and abdominal cutaeneous reflex tests?
The plantar reflex is also called the “Babinski reflex”. Googling that will give you plenty of hits but basically it involves a non-painful stroking of the plantar surface of the foot. A normal response involves curling of the great toe down (flexor response) while an abnormal response involves dorsiflexion of the great toe (extensor response). This reflex is abnormal with central abnormalities of the motor system. Abdominal cutaneous reflexes are elicited with a non-painful stroking or scratching of the abdominal skin. Ipsilateral contraction of abdominal muscles should be seen in a normal patient but may be absent in up to 20% of normal individuals. Unilateral absence or absence in the presence of hyperreflexia strongly suggest an abnormality of corticospinal tracts. Neither reflex is painful but in ticklish patients it can be noxious/unpleasant/uncomfortable. Most tolerate them without any significant discomfort.
