DIADOCHOKINESIMETRY - A STUDY OF PATIENTS WITH PARKINSONS-DISEASE ANDMANGANESE EXPOSED

Diadochokinesia, the ability to perform rapid alternating movements is often impaired in patients with extrapyramidal disease. It is a commo n sign among patients with Parkinsonism or manganism. In the present s tudy we compare patients with Parkinson's disease (n = 11), workers fo rmerly exposed to manganese (n = 10) and control subjects (n = 11) per forming rapid alternating hand movements for 5 s under four conditions repeated twice (natural cadence and maximal speed with one or two han ds). Data recorded using a diadochokinesimeter built in our laboratory and connected to a 486/ 33 microcomputer were digitized in real time while subjects rotated back and forth hand held foam spheres connected to flexible rods articulated with optical encoders. Significant diffe rences were found between control subjects and patients with Parkinson 's disease, but not with manganese exposed workers, in most variables examined. However, trajectory length (a combination of movement amplit ude and velocity) indicated that manganese exposed workers and patient s with Parkinson's disease were significantly different from the contr ols in functional asymmetries between right and left hand. In addition , workers and patients tend to ha ve marked differences between the pe rformance of right and left hands. Improved quantitative measurement o f rapid alternating movements may prove to be an important tool in ear ly and differential diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and manganese exp osure. (C) 1994 Intox Press, Inc.