Rooting Reflex

Rooting Reflex

The rooting reflex is a turning of the head toward a tactile stimulus on the face or an object approaching the mouth, a normal response in infants which is lost during childhood. Its presence in adults is indicative of diffuse premotor frontal disease, this being a primitive reflex or frontal release sign.

References

Rossor M. Snouting, pouting and rooting. Practical Neurology 2001;
1: 119-121

Cross References

Age-related signs; Frontal Release Signs; Primitive reflexes