An Explorative Note on Apraxia Tests.

Philipp Gulde,Janine Diehl-Schmid,Sarah Kohl,Alan Armstrong,Timo Grimmer,Joachim Hermsdörfer,Katharina Leippold

doi:10.3389/fneur.2018.00660

Philipp Gulde, Janine Diehl-Schmid + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.00660

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Abstract

Apraxia is stated independent of primary motor disorders. However, patient groups suffering from stroke or dementia can reveal motor impairments. In this study we examined the dependence of apraxia tests of imitation and pantomime on a latent motor component using a principal component analysis. With samples sizes of 11 patients suffering from dementia of the Alzheimer's type and 15 healthy control subjects, clear limitations concerning the validity of the results are given. Nevertheless, we could observe strong dependence of the three apraxia tests, especially the imitation of finger and hand gestures, on a latent motor component in this preliminary examination. We suggest confirmation by larger samples sizes and to control for the basic motor capacity when testing for signs of apraxia in such patient samples.

Highlights

Apraxia describes the inability to perform actions with familiar tools in an “effective and purposeful manner” [1]
In this study we examined the scores of three apraxia tests: hand gestures, finger gestures, and pantomime [15]
Whether the strong influence of the motor component on Score in the meaningless finger gesture task (Finger) and Score in the meaningless hand gesture task (Hand) in comparison to Panto is based on specific neurodegenerative processes of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type or is based on other factors than the motor capacity, which could be motivation or comorbidities like a beginning arthritis, is questionable

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Apraxia describes the inability to perform actions with familiar tools in an “effective and purposeful manner” [1]. Apraxia can impair imitating actions, e.g., hand gestures, and pantomiming the use of objects [2,3,4]. The apraxia tests of imitating meaningless finger and hand gestures and pantomiming the use of everyday objects by Goldenberg [15] request upper-limb movements from patients that have, apart from the cognitive load of imitating and pantomiming, relevant demands on motor capacity. In stroke patients this can be partially controlled for by using the hand ipsilesional to the lesion, while in dementia the motor impairments usually impact both upper limbs.

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CONCLUSION

LIMITATIONS