Sensorimotor mapping affects movement correction deficits in early Huntington's disease

Exp Brain Res. 2005 Sep;165(4):454-60. doi: 10.1007/s00221-005-2315-9. Epub 2005 May 5.

Abstract

Huntington's disease (HD) is associated with early voluntary movement problems linked to striatal dysfunction. In pointing movements, HD increases the irregularity of the terminal part of movements, suggesting a dysfunction in error feedback control. We tested this hypothesis in movements requiring continuous feedback control. Patients in the early stages of HD and controls traced as fast and accurately as possible circles within a 5-mm annulus on a digitizing tablet when visual feedback of the hand and the circle was direct or indirect (through a monitor). Patients deviated more often from the annulus and showed larger corrections toward the circle than controls when using indirect visual feedback but not with direct visual feedback. When velocity requirements were removed, patients showed little change in these control problems. These results suggest that HD does not affect error feedback control in all movements and that the striatal contribution to voluntary movement is sensitive to sensorimotor mapping.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biofeedback, Psychology / physiology
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Brain Mapping
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Huntington Disease / physiopathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Somatosensory Cortex / physiopathology*