Glabellar Reflex
Overview
How to Elicit
- Percuss repeatedly between the eyebrows, looking for reactive blinking.
Interpretation
- Decreased - no blinking in response to stimulusOphthalmic nerve (V1) / facial nerve (VII) palsy, pons / medullary lesion
- Normal - up to five blinks and then no further blinking following habitualization
The glabellar reflex is a primitive reflex - normally present in infants and absent in adults. In the case of frontal lobe damage, ‘frontal release' signs such as glabellar, grasp, suck, snout and palmomental reflexes will be present.
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