title: Somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold is increased in patients with cerebellar atrophy.
abstract: Processing of time in the millisecond range seems to depend on cerebellar function and it can be assessed by using the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold testing. No studies have yet investigated this temporal discrimination task in patients with cerebellar atrophy. Eleven patients with degenerative cerebellar ataxia and 11 controls underwent somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold evaluation. The degree of cerebellar dysfunction was measured by the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale. Somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold was higher in patients compared to controls for each stimulated site (hand, neck, and eye). Age, disease duration, and International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale scores were not correlated to somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold. Somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold is abnormal in patients with cerebellar atrophy. These findings suggest that the cerebellum plays a role in modulating the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold and confirm the role of cerebellum in the processing of time in the millisecond range.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, University Federico II of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5 - 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Fiore
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manganelli
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dubbioso
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pisciotta
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antenora
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nolano
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Michele
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filla
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berardelli
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santoro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001284:Atrophy; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult