{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,27]],"date-time":"2026-07-27T22:12:22Z","timestamp":1785190342181,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":71,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,3]],"date-time":"2017-04-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1491177600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Clinical Anatomy"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The technique of triggering the cremasteric reflex and its respective signaling pathway is not described uniformly throughout the literature. As this reflex is a useful sign in diagnosing testicular torsion, orchitis, varicocele, and undescended testis, it seems desirable to identify and define the correct mechanism. Our aim was to investigate how the cremasteric reflex and its signaling pathway are described in the current literature and how the variability of the innervation of the inguinal region could affect the frequency of this reflex. Thirty\u2010five original articles and 18 current textbooks were included after searching PubMed (MEDLINE) and Scopus for the terms \u201ccremaster muscle,\u201d \u201ccremasteric reflex,\u201d and \u201cgenitofemoral nerve\u201d and after applying all exclusion criteria. This systematic review was performed according to the PRISMA Statement Rules. Eliciting the cremasteric reflex was defined either as \u201crubbing of the upper inner thigh\u201d or \u201crubbing of the skin under the inguinal ligament.\u201d Four different afferent pathways among studies and three different pathways among textbooks were described and the frequency of an intact reflex ranged between 42.7 and 92.5% in newborns and between 61.7 and 100% in boys between 24 months and 12 years. Owing to the huge differences among the studies investigated and the lack of convincing results, it is not possible to define the correct way to elicit the cremasteric reflex. Four hypotheses about the afferent pathway are proposed on the basis of the literature. Further studies should be performed, concentrating on the afferent pathway(s) with respect to the individual innervation of the inguinal region. Clin. Anat. 30:498\u2013507, 2017. \u00a9 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ca.22875","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,3,14]],"date-time":"2017-03-14T16:07:03Z","timestamp":1489507623000},"page":"498-507","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["The cremasteric reflex and its muscle \u2013 a paragon of ongoing scientific discussion: A systematic review"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"30","author":[{"given":"Gilbert M.","family":"Schwarz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Anatomy Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5194-9118","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lena","family":"Hirtler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Anatomy Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,4,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_7_2_1","volume-title":"Grant's Atlas of Anatomy","author":"Agur AMR","year":"2013"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00276-002-0006-9"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_4_1","volume-title":"Waldeyer \u2013 Anatomie Des Menschen: Lehrbuch Und Atlas in Einem Band","author":"Anderhuber F","year":"2012"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1179\/106698109791352201"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00005053-192609000-00004"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1055\/b-002-46981"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/mus.20429"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aja.1000010206"},{"key":"e_1_2_7_10_1","unstructured":"BeaunisH\u00c9 BouchardA.1880. 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