HYPOKINESIA IN HUNTINGTONS-DISEASE

Motor activity was quantitatively assessed over a period of 5 days usi ng a wrist-worn activity monitor in 14 patients with Huntington's dise ase (of whom 4 used neuroleptic drugs) and 14 age- and sex-matched hea lthy controls. Additionally, patients were rated for dementia, depress ion, clinical impairment of motor tasks, chorea, and disability. A sig nificant decrease in daytime motor activity was observed in patients c ompared with controls, suggesting hypokinesia rather than hyperkinesia . Hypokinesia tended to be more severe in patients using neuroleptic d rugs. Lower activity levels were significantly related to lower scores of functional disability, but not to other clinical measures, We conc lude that hypokinesia is a prominent manifestation in Huntington's dis ease that is worsened by the use of neuroleptics.