A single report of hemiplegic arm stretching related to yawning: further investigation using apomorphine administration.
We observed a stroke patient with an infarct of the internal capsule interrupting the pyramidal tract who stretched his hemiplegic arm during spontaneous and apomorphine-induced yawning. The putative mechanism by which yawning can induce the paradoxical motor response of the plegic arm in the patient might be the functional efficiency of a pathway projecting directly from the stimulated basal ganglia to lower motor systems in the brainstem.
Clinical Pharmacology & CPCET, CHU Timone, Marseilles, France.
O
O
Blin
O
O
Rascol
J P
JP
Azulay
G
G
Serratrice
A
A
Nieoullon
D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D015000:Yawning
D001058:Apomorphine