For the Plantar grasp reflex, will toes curl upwards or downwards when the plantar surface is touched?

For the Plantar grasp reflex, will toes curl upwards or downwards when the plantar surface is touched?

• A. Upwards
• B. Downwards
• C. Inwards
• D. Outwards

Answer: (B)

The plantar grasp reflex is an infantile primitive reflex: when the sole is stroked, the toes curl downward toward the plantar surface. So the response is downward curling, not upward. This reflex is present at birth and typically fades around 9 to 15 months as voluntary control develops. Curling upward would be dorsiflexion, which isn’t the response to plantar surface stimulation. Inward or outward movements aren’t the defining reaction of this reflex; the key feature is the downward curling toward the sole.

The plantar grasp reflex is an infantile primitive reflex: when the sole is stroked, the toes curl downward toward the plantar surface. So the response is downward curling, not upward. This reflex is present at birth and typically fades around 9 to 15 months as voluntary control develops. Curling upward would be dorsiflexion, which isn’t the response to plantar surface stimulation. Inward or outward movements aren’t the defining reaction of this reflex; the key feature is the downward curling toward the sole.