Abstract
Leprosy is characterized by the involvement of the skin and peripheral nerves. This involvement can be presented by sensory, motor, and autonomic changes. Impaired hand sensibility may decrease the information that reaches specific areas of the central nervous system, resulting in changes in perception. During the laterality judgment task (or the ability to distinguish between left and right), an indivudual observes an image of a hand, performs a mental body rotation and compares the image with their body reprsentation in the brain, wich requires integrating sensory inputs with the sensory and motor systems. Objective: This study compared the performance on the left/right judgment task between people with nerve damage caused by leprosy and asymptomatic controls. Materials and Methods: Patients performed a task using the software Recognise®. Results were compared with those of a control group, comprising healthy individuals. Results: The study included 33 participants, of whom 20 were patients with leprosy (patient group) and 13 were healthy individuals (control group). The mean rate of correct responses by the patient group was 70% for the right hand and 62% for the left hand. The mean rate of correct responses by the control group was 83.4% for the right hand and 83.8% for the left hand. Conclusion: Patients demonstrate changes in body configuration, resulting in an influence of proprioceptive information on the subject’s current posture. These results may imply the presence of changes to the representation of the hand area in the brain’s sensory cortex.
Highlights
Leprosy is a disease known since ancient times
This study aimed to investigate the ability of patients with nerve damage caused by leprosy to distinguish left and right, compared with that of a control group
We included patients with a diagnosis of leprosy and grade 1 physical disability (GD1) and excluded patients with pain or other peripheral neuropathies, results lower than those predicted in the Mini-Mental State Examination, or decreased muscle strength, in addition to those who did not understand the execution of the test and/or reported being ambidextrous
Summary
Leprosy is a disease known since ancient times. Historical depictions have contributed over the years to strengthening the rejection, prejudice, and social exclusion experienced by individuals suffering with leprosy.[1]. The major control measure for this endemic disease was the implementation of multidrug therapy (MDT) in endemic countries by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1982. This therapeutic program established the criteria for treatment success and cure. If the patient already had neural deficit at the time of diagnosis, it may remain as a sequela even after bacterial inactivity. This deficit is a consequence of nerve damage
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
