Primitive reflexes and perceptual sensory tests in the elderly-Their usefulness in dementia

The prevalence of primitive reflexes and abnormal perceptual-sensory tests was compared in 3 elderly groups-the healthy, the demented and those with focal neurologic disease-and in a fourth group of healthy young volunteers. Test responses differed significantly among the 3 elderly groups and between the combined ill and the healthy elderly in all tests. Discrimination between demented and neurologically impaired patients was achieved only by the palmomental and grasp reflexes. The bilateral palmomental reflex and the extinction phenomenon in the face-hand test are age-related changes in healthy adults. For individual diagnosis the palmomental and grasp reflexes, and the large-small figure and face-hand test can be easily and usefully applied in the evaluation of dementia.