Romberg's Sign: Past and Present Use and Interpretation

This paper provides a historical perspective on Romberg's sign, which has been part of the routine neurologic examination since early in the twentieth century. The narrative begins with observations that were initially made in and by tabetics. These patients had noted loss of postural control in darkness or when visually deprived. Romberg reported the phenomenon and devised a bedside test, which was primarily used to diagnose tabes dorsalis but eventually was related to all causes of proprioceptive defect at the spinal or peripheral nerve level. The role of vestibular and cerebellar dysfunction is discussed; these defects are only rarely considered a possible cause of the phenomena. The authors include the numerous variations that refined t…