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Book

Moro Reflex

Priyam Pattnaik  1 , Yasir Al Khalili  2
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
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Book

Moro Reflex

Priyam Pattnaik et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

The Moro reflex, also known as the startle reflex, is a normal, primitive reflex observed in infants. The reflex is an involuntary, protective motor response triggered by sudden disruptions in body balance or extreme stimulation. The Moro reflex was first described by Ernst Moro in 1918. The reflex can be observed as early as 25 weeks post-conceptional age and is typically present by 30 weeks post-conceptional age. The reflex is present in full-term infants and begins to disappear by 12 weeks, with complete disappearance by 6 months of age. The exaggeration or retention of the Moro reflex may indicate a neurodevelopmental concern.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Priyam Pattnaik declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Yasir Al Khalili declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

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