Disturbances of rhythm formation in patients with hemispheric lesion.

Abstract

Patients (191) with hemispheric lesion mainly due to CVD [cerebrovascular disease] were examined by the finger-tapping test, and their disturbances of rhythm formation, hastening phenomenon (HP), were compared with those of Parkinson''s disease. HP was observed in 56% of the right and 49% of the left hemiplegic patients. HP in the intact hand of the patient was highly correlated with that of the affected hand. CT [computed tomography] scans were examined in 86 of 191 patients, and HP was specifically correlated with unilateral striatal lesions. Disturbances of rhythm formation in hemiplegia, together with those in Parkinson''s disease, Huntington''s chorea, SND [strio-nigral degeneration] and OPCA [olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy], were attributed either to organic or functional deficits in the striatum.