MEDizzy - A 17-year-old boy sustains serious head and neck trauma

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Motor and Integrative Neurophysiology (I)

A 17-year-old boy sustains serious head and neck trauma during a football game. Physical examination shows a positive Babinski sign. What part of the brain has most likely been damaged in this boy?

ExplanationA positive Babinski sign (also called the Babinski reflex) occurs normally in children up to 2 years of age. The reflex occurs after the sole of the foot has been stroked with a blunt instrument; the big toe moves upward and the other toes fan out. A positive Babinski sign in adults can indicate damage to the corticospinal tract.