Westphal’s sign is the clinical correlate of the absence or decrease of patellar reflex or knee jerk. Patellar reflex or knee jerk is a kind of deep or stretch reflex where an application of a stimulus to the patellar tendon such as strike by a solid object or hammer caused the leg to extend due to such stimulus causes the quadriceps femoris muscle to stretch.

Westphal’s sign has a clinical significance used in determining neurodisorders or diseases such as:

• neuro-syphilis tabes dorsalis
• receptor damage, peripheral nerve disease, involving the dorsal(sensory) columns of the spinal cord and cerebellar lesions
• lesions present within the motor cortex of the brain or the pyramidal tracts which it combined with muscular spasms
• complete interruption of sensory and/or motor impulse transmission in the femoral nerve

However, Westphal’s sign is often known as a characteristic finding in tabes dorsalis, a type of neuro-syphilis.

• Tabes dorsalis
• Patellar reflex

• The Principles of Physiology Jensen, David Ph.D.,Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York.1976

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