Which neonate reflex is used to assess brainstem function by observing eye movements when the head is turned?

• A. Doll's eyes reflex
• B. Moro
• C. Rooting
• D. Stepping

Answer: (A)

Oculocephalic (doll's eyes) reflex assesses brainstem integrity. When you turn the neonate’s head, a normal response is for the eyes to move in the opposite direction, preserving gaze thanks to intact vestibulo-ocular pathways in the brainstem. If these eye movements are absent or not conjugate, it suggests brainstem dysfunction. The other reflexes listed—Moro, rooting, and stepping—are primitive or motor reflexes that involve different neural circuits and do not test brainstem-mediated eye movements in response to head turning.