Moro reflex

The Moro reflex in a four-day-old infant: 1) the reflex is initiated by pulling the infant up from the floor and then releasing him; 2) he spreads his arms; 3) he pulls his arms in; 4) he cries (10 seconds)
Moro reflex while sleeping

The Moro reflex is an infantile reflex that develops between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation and disappears at 3–6 months of age. It is a response to a sudden loss of support and involves three distinct components:[1]

  1. spreading out the arms (abduction)
  2. pulling the arms in (adduction)
  3. crying (usually)

It is distinct from the startle response.[2] Unlike the startle response, the Moro reflex does not decrease with repeated stimulation.[3] The primary significance of the Moro reflex is in evaluating integration of the central nervous system.[3]

  1. ^ Edwards, Christopher W.; Al Khalili, Yasir (2019), "Moro Reflex", StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, PMID 31194330, retrieved 2019-08-06
  2. ^ Fletcher, Mary Ann (1998). Physical Diagnosis in Neonatology. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven. p. 472. ISBN 978-0397513864. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  3. ^ a b Suzuki, Yasuhiro; Toribe, Yasuhisa; Futagi, Yasuyuki (June 11, 2012). "The Grasp Reflex and Moro Reflex in Infants: Hierarchy of Primitive Reflex Responses". International Journal of Pediatrics. 2012: 191562. doi:10.1155/2012/191562. PMC 3384944. PMID 22778756.