title: Gesture imitation with lower limbs following left hemisphere stroke.
abstract: Ideomotor apraxia (IMA) of lower limbs has rarely been investigated systematically. This is the aim of the current study. Thirty-five patients with a unilateral stroke in the left hemisphere were tested within 30 days from onset with an upper limb IMA test and with a newly devised test assessing leg IMA. Seventeen patients presented with arm apraxia, six of them also showed severe leg apraxia. Results suggest that IMA of lower limbs emerges in association with severe arm IMA in patients with large lesions, and is a sign of general severity of the patient's conditions.
authors.affiliation: Third Neurology Ward, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry, University of Milan, S.Paolo Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ambrosoni
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Della Sala
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Motto
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oddo
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Spinnler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001072:Apraxias / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D005260:Female; D005868:Gestures; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013997:Time Factors