Spiral drawing during self-rated dyskinesia is more impaired than during self-rated Off

Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2013 May;19(5):553-6. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2013.01.011. Epub 2013 Feb 9.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine repeated measures of fine motor function in relation to self-assessed motor conditions in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: One-hundred PD patients, 65 with advanced PD and 35 patients with different disease stages have utilized a test battery in a telemedicine setting. On each test occasion, they initially self-assessed their motor condition (from 'very off' to 'very dyskinetic') and then performed a set of fine motor tests (tapping and spiral drawings).

Results: The motor tests scores were found to be the best during self-rated On. Self-rated dyskinesias caused more impaired spiral drawing performance (mean = 9.8% worse, P < 0.001) but at the same time tapping speed was faster (mean = 5.0% increase, P < 0.001), compared to scores in self-rated Off.

Conclusions: The fine motor tests of the test battery capture different symptoms; the spiral impairment primarily relates to dyskinesias whereas the tapping speed captures the Off symptoms.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diagnostic Self Evaluation*
  • Dyskinesias / diagnosis*
  • Dyskinesias / physiopathology*
  • Dyskinesias / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Skills / physiology
  • Parkinson Disease / diagnosis*
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology*
  • Parkinson Disease / psychology
  • Sweden / epidemiology
  • Telemedicine / methods*