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Motion analysis in cervical dystonia

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Abstract

Objective

To evaluate kinematic features in cervical dystonia (CD) patients by means of a motion analysis system (Fastrack-Polhemus, Colchester VT, USA).

Design

Small study sample.

Setting

Ambulatory care.

Patients and participants

15 CD patients and 10 healthy subjects.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Measurements and results

Posture at rest and voluntary movements in both groups. Posture at rest in CD patients was impaired in all planes; only 20% of the patients exhibited complex dystonic patterns at clinical evaluation, whereas more than 90% of them had complex ones at kinematic evaluation. The analysis of voluntary motion revealed a reduced range of voluntary excursion and increased execution time; the impairment was higher when the patients moved their heads towards the anti-dystonic side.

Conclusions

Fastrack system is a sensitive tool in kinematic evaluation of CD, as it provides useful quantitative information on rest position and on motion in CD patients and may consequently improve the management of this disease.

Sommario

Obiettivo di questo studio è la valutazione cinematica di pazienti affetti da distonia cervicale mediante un sistema computerizzato di analisi del movimento (Fastrack-Polhemus, Colchester VT, USA). Abbiamo reclutato 15 pazienti affetti da distonia cervicale; i dati ricavati dai pazienti sono stati confrontati con quelli di 10 soggetti sani. In entrambi i gruppi sono stati confrontati la postura a riposo e l’attività motoria volontaria. Nei pazienti con distonia cervicale la postura a riposo risultava alterata in tutti i piani analizzati; mentre con la valutazione clinica si evidenziavano pattern distonici complessi solo nel 20% dei pazienti, con l’analisi cinematica questi erano presenti nel 90% dei casi. Dall’analisi del movimento volontario sono emersi una riduzione dell’escursione del movimento ed un incremento del tempo di esecuzione del movimento stesso; tale compromissione era maggiore se il paziente muoveva la testa in direzione opposta a quella della postura distonica. In conclusione, il nostro sistema di analisi cinematica costituisce uno strumento sensibile per la valutazione dei pazienti affetti da distonia cervicale, sia per quanto concerne la postura a riposo che l’attività motoria volontaria; esso può fornire informazioni utili anche nella gestione terapeutica di tali pazienti.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation, Fondazione Istituto San Raffaele-G. Giglio, Cefalù (PA), Italy

    Cristina Boccagni, Sergio Bagnato & Giuseppe Galardi

  2. ARTS LAB Scuola Superiore Sant’ Anna, Pontedera (PI), Italy

    Jacopo Carpaneto & Silvestro Micera

Authors
  1. Cristina Boccagni
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  2. Jacopo Carpaneto
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  3. Silvestro Micera
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  4. Sergio Bagnato
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  5. Giuseppe Galardi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giuseppe Galardi.

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Boccagni, C., Carpaneto, J., Micera, S. et al. Motion analysis in cervical dystonia. Neurol Sci 29, 375–381 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-008-1033-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-008-1033-z

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