[A refined evaluation of cerebellar ataxia and its application to treatment of spinocerebellar degeneration].
A two-dimensional analysis of cerebellar ataxia was performed by using video-computer motion measurement system, PEAK, which has been developed and produced by U.S.-Japan-Chatanuuga Co., Ltd. The analyses of gait, heel-knee tapping test, finger-nose test and heel-knee test were made on 23 cases of spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD) as compared with the 9 healthy. The cases of SCD included olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA), hereditary OPCA, late cortical cerebellar atrophy (LCCA), hereditary LCCA, Joseph disease and dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy. The results of analyses by the computer demonstrated slow movement of gait, decrease of flexion angle at knee joint at the swing phase of the gait. Heel-knee test revealed irregular, dysrhythmic movements of heel. The interval of the tapping showed great variance and its standard deviation of the average was found to be increased. And the average values were so increased as to implement slow movements of the heel. These above-mentioned findings were also observed in the tests of finger-nose and heel-knee as well. Oral intake of TA0910, TRH derivative, which was synthesized and produced by Tanabe pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. in Japan improved slow movements of the tests. Disorders of range, direction, and rate of the movements, as usually observed in the patient of ataxia, could be well recognized to be alleviated following the administration and the effects were statistically significant. Application of the computerized instrument to analysis of ataxia would be very beneficial in the neurological bed-side clinical examination.
Takayanagi
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Department of Neurology, Nara Medical University.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013132:Spinocerebellar Degenerations / Q000628:therapy*