BEKHTEREV-JACOBSOHN REFLEX

Course overview

THE BEKHTEREV-JACOBSOHN REFLEX IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE JACOBSOHN FINGER FLEXION SIGN. DR. VLADIMIR BEKHTEREV (A RUSSIAN NEUROLOGIST) AND DR. LOUIS JACOBSOHN-LASK (A GERMAN NEUROLOGIST) DESCRIBED THE REFLEX IN THE EARLY 1900S. THE REFLEX IS A CLINICAL SIGN THAT CAN BE EASILY ELICITED WITHOUT THE USE OF ANY EQUIPMENT. THE BEKHTEREV-JACOBSOHN REFLEX DESCRIBES ABDUCTION OF THE HAND AND FLEXION OF THE FINGERS WHEN THE DISTAL RADIUS IS STROKED. THE REFLEX IS VERY SIMPLE TO COMPLETE AND CAN BE USEFUL WHEN TRYING TO DETERMINE THE LOCALIZATION OF A LESION. THE REFLEX IS INDICATIVE OF A LESION IN THE PYRAMIDAL TRACT OF THE UPPER LIMB. THE BEKHTEREV JACOBSON REFLEX IS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEKHTEREV-MENDEL REFLEX IN THE LOWER LIMB AND IS ALSO SIMILAR TO THE HOFFMAN AND TROMNER SIGN IN THE UPPER LIMB, ALL OF WHICH ARE INDICATIVE OF UPPER MOTOR NEURON PATHOLOGY. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE BEKHTEREV JACOBSON REFLEX, ITS INDICATIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ASSESSING PATIENTS WITH NEUROLOGICAL DEFICITS.