Superficial Abdominal Reflexes in Man

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Abstract
Rosenbach,20in 1876, first described visible contractions of abdominal musculature evoked by gentle scratching of skin. Since the zone of effective stimulation was not necessarily limited to areas immediately adjacent to the site of muscular response, and since the contractions were abolished by appropriate motoneuron lesions, the responses were justifiably considered reflex in origin. They have, in fact, been commonly termed superficial abdominal reflexes, although considerable doubt exists concerning their basic mechanisms. Since these reflexes may be depressed or absent in patients with rostrally situated lesions of the central nervous system, some observers, including Astwazaturow1and Monrad-Krohn,17have postulated that the intrinsic reflex arc in normal persons must traverse the highest levels of the nervous system. The superficial abdominal reflex may be retained, however, on the corresponding side after ablation of the premotor cortex (Bucy3), after removal of the cortex of the hemisphere (Dandy6), and

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