Moro Reflex

Moro Reflex

The Moro reflex is an infantile reflex normally present in all infants/newborns up to 4 or 5 months of age as a response to a sudden loss of support, when the infant feels as if it is falling. It involves three distinct components:

1. spreading out the arms (abduction)
2. unspreading the arms (adduction)
3. crying (usually)

The primary significance of the Moro reflex is in evaluating integration of the central nervous system. It is distinct from the startle reflex,^[1]and is believed to be the only unlearned fear in human newborns

more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro_reflex