Tapping linked to function and structure in premanifest and symptomatic Huntington disease.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Motor signs are functionally disabling features of Huntington disease. Characteristic motor signs define disease manifestation. Their severity and onset are assessed by the Total Motor Score of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale, a categorical scale limited by interrater variability and insensitivity in premanifest subjects. More objective, reliable, and precise measures are needed which permit clinical trials in premanifest populations. We hypothesized that motor deficits can be objectively quantified by force-transducer-based tapping and correlate with disease burden and brain atrophy.

Methods

A total of 123 controls, 120 premanifest, and 123 early symptomatic gene carriers performed a speeded and a metronome tapping task in the multicenter study TRACK

SUBMITTER: Bechtel N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3013584 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature