Brissaud's reflex is a

clinical sign Signs and symptoms are diagnostic indications of an illness, injury, or condition. Signs are objective and externally observable; symptoms are a person's reported subjective experiences. A sign for example may be a higher or lower temperature ...

in which stroking the sole of the foot elicits contraction of

tensor fasciae latae The tensor fasciae latae (or tensor fasciæ latæ or, formerly, tensor vaginae femoris) is a muscle of the thigh. Together with the gluteus maximus, it acts on and is continuous with the iliotibial band, which attaches to the tibia. The muscle as ...

. This can occur when there is no movement of the toes, and is part of the extensor plantar response (Babinski's sign). The sign is named after

Édouard Brissaud Édouard Brissaud (15 April 1852, Besançon – 20 December 1909) was a French physician and pathologist. He was taught by Jean Martin Charcot at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. He had interests in a number of medical disciplines including motion d ...

External links

Medical signs Reflexes {{med-sign-stub