Click here to see right arm drift. Test fine distal movement by having the patient tap the index finger to the thumb as quickly as possible in each hand separately. Test for the Babinski response. Drift and impaired distal movements may signal a mild hemiparesis, which is usually a sign of significant neurological disease. Patients with slowly progressive weakness may be unaware of their problem.
Reflexes are easy to test and quantify.
Abnormalities may signal important disorders of the central or peripheral nervous systems.