Rare diseases · Sign or symptom
Grasp reflex
HP:0030903
What it means
A type of primitive reflex that can be elicated when the hand of the examiner is gently inserted into the palm of the patient's hand. The palmar surface is stroked or simply touched. The flexor surfaces of the fingers may be stimulated also by the examiner's fingers. The stimulus should be in a distal direction. With a positive response, the patient grasps the examiner's hand with variable strength and continues to grasp as the examiner's hand is moved. Ability to release the grip voluntarily depends on the activity of the reflex; some patients can do so readily, while others can even be lifted off the bed, since the grasp has such power [NCBI Books:NBK395].
Rare diseases that can present with this2
The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.
Part of the broader category
Also called: Palmar grasp reflex
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Start free with EleplanThis page uses the Human Phenotype Ontology (2026-06-23) — Human Phenotype Ontology Consortium, hpo.jax.org. Disease associations from Orphanet (INSERM), CC BY 4.0. Content is educational and is not medical advice.