Overactivation of primary motor cortex is asymmetrical in hemiparkinsonianpatients

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured using PET and (H2O)-O-15 i n Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with predominantly right-sided akinetic -rigid symptoms and in control subjects during the execution of an external ly cued motor task either with the left or the right hand. During the execu tion of the task with the left, non-akinetic, hand, cerebral activation in PD patients appeared similar to that of controls. Activated areas were the primary motor cortex, premotor cortex, parietal cortex and cerebellum. When the task was executed with the right, akinetic, hand cerebral activation i n PD patients differed from that of controls subjects. The most important c hange was a bilateral activation of the primary motor cortex. We conclude t hat overactivation of primary motor cortex is asymmetrical in hemiparkinson ian patients. NeuroReport 11:785-789 (C) 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins .