A new phenotype of choreic syndrome associating severe freezing of gait and chorea.

The early onset of gait akinesia should not rule out the diagnosis of hereditary chorea. It would be helpful to proceed to a whole-genome and long-read sequencing in order to track a new pathogenic variant including noncoding repeat expansion.

Effect of Trunk Muscle Strengthening on Gait Pattern and Falls in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: The course of Parkinson's disease is characterized by gait disturbance and falls, which affect patients' quality of life and engender high healthcare costs. These factors are not greatly improved by levodopa therapy or deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nuclei. Indeed, the symptoms may even worsen with these treatment.

3-D motion capture for long-term tracking of spontaneous locomotor behaviors and circadian sleep/wake rhythms in mouse.

Background: Locomotor activity provides an index of an animal's behavioral state. Here, we report a reliable and cost-effective method that allows long-term (days to months) simultaneous tracking of locomotion in mouse cohorts (here consisting of 24 animals).

New Method: The technique is based on a motion capture system used mainly for human movement study.

Evaluation of Motor Skills in Children with Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome.

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS) is a rare genetic disease that associates intellectual disability with somatic characteristics. We have conducted a study of the overall motor abilities of RTS participants. Static postural performance as well as gait parameters were somewhat decreased, although not significantly compared to typically developing (TD) participants.

Early GABAergic transmission defects in the external globus pallidus and rest/activity rhythm alteration in a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by progressive motor symptoms preceded by cognitive deficits and is regarded as a disorder that primarily affects the basal ganglia. The external globus pallidus (GPe) has a central role in the basal ganglia, projects directly to the cortex, and is majorly modulated by GABA. To gain a better understanding of the time course of HD progression and gain insight into the underlying mechanisms, we analyzed GABAergic neurotransmission in the GPe of the R6/1 mouse model at purportedly asymptomatic and symptomatic stages (i.

The influence of scopolamine on motor control and attentional processes.

Background: Motion sickness may be caused by a sensory conflict between the visual and the vestibular systems. Scopolamine, known to be the most effective therapy to control the vegetative symptoms of motion sickness, acts on the vestibular nucleus and potentially the vestibulospinal pathway, which may affect balance and motor tasks requiring both attentional process and motor balance. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of scopolamine on motor control and attentional processes.

Is "circling" behavior in humans related to postural asymmetry?

In attempting to walk rectilinearly in the absence of visual landmarks, persons will gradually turn in a circle to eventually become lost. The aim of the present study was to provide insights into the possible underlying mechanisms of this behavior. For each subject (N = 15) six trajectories were monitored during blindfolded walking in a large enclosed area to suppress external cues, and ground irregularities that may elicit unexpected changes in direction.

Maximal and sustained isokinetic lower-limb muscle strength in hospitalized older people.

Maximal strength decreases with aging whereas sustained strength is less affected. Strength decline may be worsened by hospitalization. The aim of this study was to estimate the maximal and sustained isokinetic muscle strength of lower limbs in hospitalized elderly subjects.