Summary
The results are reported of an investigation of the effects of perphenazine on 4 patients with Huntington'S Chorea. Data were obtained from clinical observations, performance in objective tests, finger-movement recording and cinematography. One patient showed evident clinical benefit and this was confirmed in her case as well as demonstrated in 2 more by the cinematograph film. Three of the 4 in whom it was possible to record finger-movement showed significant reduction of involuntary movements recorded by a piezo-electric system. Two of these last three however were significantly slower in a timed test of manual dexterity. The theoretical import of these findings is discussed and it is concluded that perphenazine will certainly reduce the amplitude of involuntary movement in chorea, and that this may sometimes be due to the concomitant imposition of muscular rigidity, but that a differential neuroplegic or neuroregulatory action is likely to occur as well.
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Merskey, H., Rice, T. & Troupe, A. An investigation of some therapeutic and physiological effects of perphenazine in Huntington's Chorea. Psychopharmacologia 2, 436–445 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407442
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00407442