Tapping Speed Research Articles

Effects of Age and Gender on Hand Motion Tasks.

Objective. Wearable and wireless motion sensor devices have facilitated the automated computation of speed, amplitude, and rhythm of hand motion tasks. The aim of this study is to determine if there are any biological influences on these kinematic parameters. Methods. 80 healthy subjects performed hand motion tasks twice for each hand, with movements measured using a wireless motion sensor device (Kinesia, Cleveland Medical Devices Inc., Cleveland, OH). Multivariate analyses were performed with age, gender, and height added into the model. Results. Older subjects performed poorer in finger tapping (FT) speed (r = 0.593, p < 0.001), hand-grasp (HG) speed (r = 0.517, p < 0.001), and pronation-supination (PS) speed (r = 0.485, p < 0.001). Men performed better in FT rhythm (p < 0.02), HG speed (p < 0.02), HG amplitude (p < 0.02), and HG rhythm (p < 0.05). Taller subjects performed better in the speed and amplitude components of FT (p < 0.02) and HG tasks (p < 0.02). After multivariate analyses, only age and gender emerged as significant independent factors influencing the speed but not the amplitude and rhythm components of hand motion tasks. Gender exerted an independent influence only on HG speed, with better performance in men (p < 0.05). Conclusions. Age, gender, and height are not independent factors influencing the amplitude and rhythm components of hand motion tasks. The speed component is affected by age and gender differences.

Identifying upper limb disability in patients with persistent whiplash

BackgroundPatients with persistent whiplash associated disorders (WAD) report upper limb (UL) symptoms and functional difficulties but there is limited information regarding the nature of these complaints. Impairments in motor performance may relate to functional deficits. ObjectiveTo identify symptoms and the degree and nature of UL functional difficulties. DesignCross sectional study. MethodsTwenty-four age matched subjects with persistent WAD and healthy controls were surveyed using the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). A series of case studies on six subjects with persistent WAD and thirteen age and gender matched controls also had their motor performance assessed using a specialised UL testing battery, including reaction time, movement speed, accuracy, co-ordination and tapping speed. ResultsThe results suggest that UL symptoms and functional deficits are prevalent in persistent WAD. All individual item scores on the DASH, except one, were significantly higher in the WAD group and the DASH moderately correlated to pain, NDI and PSFS. Four-choice reaction time was the only motor performance measure that was significantly impaired in the WAD compared to control group and this correlated to pain levels. ConclusionsThe findings suggest the DASH is a suitable measure for subjects with persistent WAD and could be administered when high NDI scores are present or the patient specifically reports difficulty with UL activities. Further investigation regarding UL motor performance in subjects with persistent WAD is warranted to determine relationships between symptoms and reported functional deficits.

Anosognosia and patterns of impaired self-awareness observed in clinical practice

Disturbances of self-awareness are observed in a wide variety of patients. While group studies can provide useful information concerning potential mechanisms underlying these complex disturbances, experienced clinicians, such as Babinski, recognized the potential value of repeated observations on individual patients to insure the reliability of findings and to aid in diagnosis. This paper describes patterns of impaired self-awareness (ISA) that are observed in clinical practice that suggest a model for clinical classification. Repeated observations are reported on four patients ranging from anosognosia for hemiplegia (AHP), ISA associated with bilateral cerebral dysfunction with frontal lobe involvement, and apparent denial of disability (DD). A patient who presents with denial of ability (DA) is also studied for comparison purposes. When coupled with brain imaging findings, the nature of the patients' subjective responses to feedback regarding their functional capacities, speed of finger tapping in the left, nondominant hand, and their capacity to express and perceive affect suggests different clinical correlates in these four conditions.

Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of PBT2 in Huntington's disease: a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

PBT2 is a metal protein-attenuating compound that might reduce metal-induced aggregation of mutant huntingtin and has prolonged survival in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. We aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of PBT2 in patients with Huntington's disease. In this 26-week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, adults (≥25 years old) with early-stage to mid-stage Huntington's disease were randomly assigned (1:1:1) by a centralised interactive response system to once daily PBT2 250 mg, PBT2 100 mg, or placebo. Randomisation was stratified by site with a block size of three. Participants, carers, the steering committee, site investigators, study staff, and the study sponsor were masked to treatment assignment. Primary endpoints were safety and tolerability. The safety population consisted of all participants who were randomly assigned and had at least one dose of study drug. The principal secondary endpoint was cognition, measured by the change from baseline to week 26 in the main composite Z score of five cognitive tests (Category Fluency Test, Trail Making Test Part B, Map Search, Symbol Digit Modalities Test, and Stroop Word Reading Test) and scores on eight individual cognitive tests (the five aforementioned plus the Trail Making Test Part A, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Speeded Tapping Test). The intention-to-treat population comprised participants who were randomly assigned and had at least one efficacy assessment after administration of study drug. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01590888. Between April 18, 2012, and Dec 14, 2012, 109 participants were randomly assigned to PBT2 250 mg (n=36), PBT2 100 mg (n=38), or placebo (n=35) at 19 research centres in Australia and the USA. 32 (89%) individuals on PBT2 250 mg, 38 (100%) on PBT2 100 mg, and 34 (97%) on placebo completed the study. Six serious adverse events (acute coronary syndrome, major depression, pneumonia, suicide attempt, viral infection, and worsening of Huntington's disease) occurred in five participants in the PBT2 250 mg group, three (fall with subdural haematoma, suicide attempt, and hospital admission for stabilisation of Huntington's disease) occurred in two participants in the PBT2 100 mg group, and one (increasing aggression) occurred in a participant in the placebo group. The site investigators deemed all, except the worsening of Huntington's disease, as unrelated to study drug. 32 (89%) participants on PBT2 250 mg, 30 (79%) on PBT2 100 mg, and 28 (80%) on placebo had at least one adverse event. Compared with placebo, neither PBT2 100 mg (least-squares mean 0·02, 95% CI -0·10 to 0·14; p=0·772) nor PBT2 250 mg (0·07, -0·05 to 0·20; p=0·240) significantly improved the main composite cognition Z score between baseline and 26 weeks. Compared with placebo, the Trail Making Test Part B score was improved between baseline and 26 weeks in the PBT2 250 mg group (17·65 s, 0·65-34·65; p=0·042) but not in the 100 mg group (0·79 s improvement, -15·75 to 17·32; p=0·925); neither dose significantly improved cognition on the other tests. PBT2 was generally safe and well tolerated in patients with Huntington's disease. The potential benefit on executive function will need to be confirmed in a larger study. Prana Biotechnology Limited.

Impact of regional striatal dopaminergic function on kinematic parameters of Parkinson's disease.

Among the cardinal parkinsonian motor deficits, the severity of bradykinesia correlates with striatal dopamine loss. However, the impact of regional striatal dopamine loss on specific components of bradykinesia remains unknown. Using gyroscopes, we measured the amplitude, speed, and frequency of finger tapping in 24 untreated patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and 28 healthy controls. Using positron emission tomography (PET) studies and [(18)F]-N-3-fluoropropyl-2-beta-carboxymethoxy-3-beta-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane (FP-CIT) in PD patients, we investigated the relationship between the mean values, variability and decrements of various kinematic parameters of finger tapping on one side (e.g. the mean, variability and decrement) and contralateral striatal FP-CIT binding. Compared with controls, PD patients had reduced amplitudes and speeds of tapping and showed greater decrement in those parameters. PD patients also exhibited greater irregularity in amplitude, speed, and frequency. Putaminal FP-CIT uptake levels correlated with the mean speed and amplitude, and caudate uptake levels correlated with mean amplitude. The variability of amplitude and speed correlated only with the caudate uptake levels. Neither caudate nor putaminal uptake correlated with frequency-related parameters or decrement in amplitude or speed. Reduced amplitude and speed of repetitive movement may be related to striatal dopaminergic deficit. Dopaminergic action in the caudate nucleus is required to maintain consistency of amplitude and speed. Although decrement of amplitude and speed is known to be specific for PD, we found that it did not mirror the degree of striatal dopamine depletion.

B-40 Free Communication/Poster - Physical Activity Interventions in Older Populations

While increased attention has been focused on changes in motor function following concussion, the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. Intracortical inhibition, as assessed by the cortical silent period (CSP) evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), can be elevated in concussed individuals years after the initial injury. However, the functional consequence of this increased inhibition is not fully understood. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between CSP duration and movement speed in concussed individuals and healthy controls. METHODS: Assessments of cortical inhibition and finger movement speed were obtained within 72 hours of injury and at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks post-injury in a group of individuals who had suffered a concussion (n=7; 19.9±1.4 years) and at similar time points in a healthy control group (n=9; 19.6±1.4 years). Intracortical inhibition was assessed with the duration of the cortical silent period (CSP) of the first dorsal interosseous, obtained with a TMS pulse delivered at 120% of resting motor threshold during an isometric contraction at 50% of maximum. Movement speed was measured as the maximum number of times a subject could tap the index finger of the dominant hand on a pressure sensing device in 10 seconds. RESULTS: Overall, there was a large effect of group on silent period duration (d=1.1) and a moderate effect of group on finger tapping speed (d=0.31). At every time point, the silent period was longer in individuals who had suffered a concussion than controls (d=0.60-2.1). With the exception of the two week time point (d=0.001), finger tapping speed was slower in those who had suffered a concussion than controls throughout the two-month testing period (d=0.24-0.50). However, finger tapping speed was not related to the duration of the silent period in either group (r2≤0.01; p≥0.62) CONCLUSION: Although the concussed group exhibited greater cortical inhibition, this does not explain the observed variance in movement speed. Further investigation is therefore required to understand the functional consequences of higher levels of intracortical inhibition in individuals who have suffered concussion.

Delayed Finger Tapping and Cognitive Responses in Preterm-Born Male Teenagers With Mild Spastic Diplegia

BackgroundInformation on fine motor and basic cognitive functions in spastic diplegia is sparse in the literature. The aim of this study was to investigate index finger's tapping speed and cognitive functions in categorization and old/new recognition of pictures in patients with mild spastic diplegia. MethodsFifteen preterm-born male teenagers with mild spastic diplegia and 15 healthy male teenagers participated in this study. Finger-tapping tests and cognitive tests were performed on all participants. Outcomes were compared between the two groups. ResultsIn the finger-tapping tests, the tapping speed was significantly slower in patients than in controls. In the tests of tapping one key persistently and tapping two keys alternately, the reaction time gaps between the left and right digits were larger in patients than in controls. In the categorization tests, the accuracies and reaction times for animal/plant and girl face pictures, but not for boy face pictures, were significantly worse in patients than in controls. In the recognition tests, the accuracies for old/new, animal/plant, and boy/girl face pictures were significantly lower in patients than in controls. The reaction times for old/new, animal/plant, and new face pictures, but not for old face pictures, were significantly longer in patients compared with controls. ConclusionsOur results demonstrate delayed finger tapping and cognitive responses in preterm-born male teenagers with mild spastic diplegia. Our experimental paradigm is sensitive for the study of fine motor and cognitive functions between patients and healthy controls.

Force Perception, Effort, Strength, and Dynamic Muscle Function in Cancer-Related Fatigue

There are several kinesthetic parameters that can be used to measure fatigue including strength, endurance, sense of effort, perception of force exerted, and tapping speed. We developed a protocol and tested the feasibility of correlating subjective fatigue with kinesthetic parameters in a small group of patients with cancer having fatigue and in controls. Accrual was limiting. We discuss the limitations and potential modifications in the procedure, which may allow improved accrual and the rationale behind performing such a study.

Deficit awareness and cognitive performance in individuals with acquired brain injury

Anosognosia is commonly reported after acquired brain injury (ABI) or stroke and often hinders an ABI survivor's ability to perceive the social consequences of their behavior and to modify it. This study concerned the question of whether awareness discrepancy scores could predict cognitive performance with a focus on the acquired brain injured (ABI) population. It was hypothesized that lack of awareness would predict performance on cognitive tasks. Archival data was assessed for a total of 21 patients; 10 learning disabled (LD) and 11 with a brain injury with each person having one "observer". Data consisted of patient and observer ratings on the Acquired Deficit Awareness Management System (ADAMS) profile, a 36-item survey that measured both patient self-report and observer assessment of awareness. These data yielded two discrepancy scores: deficit with awareness (DWA) and deficit without awareness (DWoA). The discrepancy scores were used to predict IQ scores from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, academic performance on the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery, memory functioning on the Wechsler Memory Scale, and a measure of fine motor skill. The DWoA measure correlated significantly with several cognitive variables and with finger tapping speed on the non-dominant hand. These correlations were not apparent in the LD group. Measures of lack of awareness predicted cognitive performance in the ABI population. Therapeutic interventions are discussed that address lack of awareness after ABI.

Difference in Muscle Quality over the Adult Life Span and Biological Correlates in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

To examine differences in a proxy measure of muscle quality across the adult life span and explore potential mechanisms of muscle quality change through identification of cross-sectional correlates of muscle quality. Cross-sectional study. Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Seven hundred eighty-six individuals with a mean age of 66.3 (range 26-96) (N = 786). A sensitivity analysis was conducted in a subset of participants matched according to sex, muscle mass, and body size. Muscle quality was operationalized as the ratio of knee-extension strength (isokinetic dynamometry) to thigh muscle cross-sectional area (computed tomography). Differences in muscle strength, muscle area, and muscle quality ratio with age were evaluated, and the association between the muscle quality ratio and measures reflecting domains of cognitive function, motor control, peripheral nerve function, adiposity, glucose homeostasis, and inflammation were assessed through multivariate regression analyses. A linear relationship between age and muscle quality ratio was observed, suggesting a gradual decline in muscle quality over the adult life course. Associations were observed between muscle quality ratio and measures of adiposity, as well as peroneal nerve motor conduction velocity, finger tapping speed, and memory performance (P < .01). The association between muscle quality ratio and nerve conduction velocity was maintained after adjustment for anthropometric measurements (P < .05). Muscle quality declines progressively with age over the adult life span and is affected by obesity and neurological factors. Studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms of these associations and their implications for functional outcomes.

Kinematic Analysis in Patients with Parkinson's Disease and SWEDD

The differential diagnosis between mild Parkinson's disease (PD) and Scan Without Evidence of Dopaminergic Deficit(SWEDD) is challenging. Progressive reduction in amplitude and speed of finger tapping (sequence effect) has been considered as the most useful sign for discriminating PD from SWEDD. However, a video analysis reported that sequence effect is a major confounding factor for the misdiagnosis of PD. Our objective was to perform a kinematic analysis of finger tapping to explore parameters for distinguishing between patients with PD and SWEDD. We enrolled 14 patients with PD, 17 patients with SWEDD and 18 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Amplitude, speed and frequency of finger tapping were measured using gyroscopes, and the means, decrement and variability in kinematic parameters for specific tapping duration were calculated. Compared to SWEDD group, PD group showed more decrement in amplitude and speed of the first 20 taps, more decrement in frequency after 20 taps and more variability in speed of 15 seconds of taps. However, none of parameters was a practically useful indicator distinguishing individual patients with PD from those with SWEDD. Analysis of finger tapping, even using an apparatus, is not useful for distinguishing mild PD and SWEDD.

The Effects of Tapping Force and Speed on the Activation of Motor-related Cortices

This single participant functional magnetic resonance imaging (f MRI ) study investigates the effects of tapping force and speed on the activation characteristics in motor-related cortices during bilateral self-paced tapping of hand fi ngers. The participant performed four types of self-paced hand fi nger tapping which are soft-slow ( SS ), soft-fast ( SF ), hard-slow ( HS ) and hard-fast ( HF ) in an f MRI scan. A general linear model ( GLM ) was implemented in generating brain activation. Statistical inferences were then made about the brain activations using Gaussian random fi eld theory ( RFT ) at corrected signi fic ant level ( α = 0.05), given that there is no activation. The results indicate that the brain coordinates bilateral selfpaced tapping of hand fi ngers with the involvement of motor-related cortices which are bilateral precentral gyrus ( PCG ), bilateral cerebellum and supplementary motor area ( SMA ). The increase in tapping force accentuate signi fi cant activation (p < 0.05 corrected) in bilateral PCG (Brodmann Area ( BA ) 6) in accordance with its function in triggering motor action such as controlling the tapping force. The increase in tapping speed causes a signi fi cant (p < 0.05 corrected) increase in brain activation only in somatosensory associated region in the right superior parietal lobule ( SPL ) or right BA 7. This suggests that SPL plays important roles in coordinating purposeful, skilled movements.

Association between Low-level Mercury Exposure and Neurobehavioral Functions in Korean Adults Living in a Coastal City

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the association between low-level mercury exposure and neurobehavioral functions in adults living in coastal regions of Korea.MethodsWe selected 172 adults aged 20-65 years living in a city in the coastal region of Korea. A sociodemographic survey was conducted, mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were measured, and the associations according to computerized neurobehavioral tests were determined using univariate analysis. After adjustment for associated variables, a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed.ResultsThe geometric mean mercury levels in the blood, urine, and hair were 5.41 µg/L (range, 0.00-15.84 µg/L), 1.17 µg/g-creatinine (range, 0.00-32.86 µg/g-creatinine), and 1.37 mg/kg (range, 0.42-6.56 mg/kg), respectively. Variables that were associated with simple reaction time according to the neurobehavioral test results were age and urine mercury level. Variables associated with choice reaction time were the recent use of Korean traditional medicine and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the right-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, smoking behavior, education level, monthly household income, and urine mercury level. Variables associated with the left-hand finger tapping speed test were age, gender, education level, and urine mercury level. After adjustment for associated variables, there was no significant association between urine mercury level and simple reaction time (β=25.96; p=0.47), choice reaction time (β=50.37; p=0.32), or the number of left-hand finger taps (β=-1.54; p=0.21). However, urine mercury level was significantly associated with the number of right-hand finger taps (β=-3.86; p=0.01).ConclusionsWe found no evidence that low-level mercury exposure in adults is associated with deficits in neurobehavioral functions. A longer follow-up study is required to confirm this conclusion.

Clinical effects of an intravenous apomorphine protocol in Parkinson disease

protocol of apomorphine produces detectable biological effect (increased growth hormone concentration) but negligible clinical effect (tapping speed and expert rated of parkinsonism) • We do not have much power to detect a difference in tapping scores in 8 subjects, however the difference likely does not exceed 5 taps/min • Although this dose produces reliable increases of GH in PD and controls, a higher dose of apomorphine, or a larger sample size, may be needed to detect significant motor improvement in PD. • The results suggest there are advantages and disadvantages to this dosing schedule: • Disadvantage: minimal effect in the clinical assay • Advantages: • well tolerated • detectable effect on hypothalamic DA receptors • imaging changes with this protocol could be interpreted as directly drug-induced rather than as indirect effects of a change in PD motor function or patient comfort • Moderately severe PD (modified UPDRS, apo day 22.1 + 6.3; saline day 21.7 + 7.7, mean + SD) • No significant differences between post infusion drug and saline UPDRS scores (apo: 21.7 + 7.7; saline 24.0 + 2.2) • No significant improvement in tapping speed with apomorphine (apo 2.2 + 7.2 clicks/min; saline 2.3 + 5.0 [95% C.I. for difference = -5.1 to +4.9]) • GH level was significantly higher after apomorphine than after saline (apo: 1.43 + 2.1 ng/mL; saline: 0.27 + 0.5, p = 0.04; see graph)

The octave illusion and handedness: A replication of Deutsch’s 1974 study

The octave illusion was first described by Diana Deutsch in 1974; in this phenomenon, a dichotic sequence of oscillating 400 and 800 Hz sinusoidal tones evokes different illusory percepts. At the same time, the obtained percepts were found to be dependent on the subjects’ handedness. This study investigates the influence of the handedness classification method on the correlation between reported percept and handedness in the octave illusion. After presenting the stimulus, we asked a total of 174 subjects to report their percepts and complete a handedness inventory as well as a speed tapping task. According to the right shift theory of Annett (1972, 2002) and a related study by Kopiez, Galley, and Lehmann (2010), we hypothesized that the use of performance measurement to classify handedness may clarify ambiguous correlations of subjects’ handedness with some obtained illusionary percepts. The results support the general findings of Deutsch but show that stronger effects can be found if hand performance differences are used for handedness classification. A better separation between the handedness groups could be observed, especially for the complex perception patterns.

Posterior SMA Syndrome following subcortical stroke: Contralateral akinesia reversed by visual feedback

BackgroundThe supplementary motor area (SMA) plays a key role in motor programming and production and is involved in internally-cued movements. In neurological populations, SMA syndrome following a lesion to the “SMA proper” is characterized by transient impairment of voluntary movements and motor sequences. This syndrome is assumed to follow on from an interruption of the motor cortico-subcortical loop, and some case reports indicate that such a syndrome could occur after a brain lesion isolating the SMA from subcortical structures. AimTo characterize the pattern of motor impairments in a patient whose stroke disconnects the SMA from the subcortical motor loop. MethodA patient developed a moderate transient left hemiparesis following a subcortical stroke in the right anterior cerebral artery area, which disconnected the SMA from basal ganglia. Eight days after the stroke, when the hemiparesis had regressed, the patient presented a specific SMA motor disorder of the left hand which manifested as an akinesia and was exacerbated when his visual attention was not directed towards his hand. We assessed finger tapping with left and right hands, eyes closed and open, in the left and right hemispace. We indexed movement speed as the number of taps filmed over 5-s periods. ResultsLeft motor weakness (grasping strength of right hand: 49kg and left hand: 41kg) was resolved in a week. Ideomotor and ideational gestures and motor sequences were preserved. On the tapping task, left-hand tapping was slower than right-hand tapping. Critically, visual feedback improved tapping speed for the left, but not for the right, hand. The hemispace of the task execution had no effect on tapping performance. ConclusionOur results suggest that SMA-basal ganglia disconnection decreases contralateral movement initiation and maintenance and this effect is partly compensated by visual cues.

Hemispheric Differences in Corticospinal Excitability and in Transcallosal Inhibition in Relation to Degree of Handedness

In this study, we examined hemispheric differences in corticospinal excitability and in transcallosal inhibition in a selected group of young adults (n = 34) grouped into three handedness categories (RH: strongly right-handed, n = 17; LH: strongly left-handed, n = 10; MH: mixed-handed, n = 7) based on laterality quotients (LQ) derived from the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. Performance measures were also used to derive a laterality index reflecting right-left asymmetries in manual dexterity (Dextli) and in finger tapping speed (Speedli). Corticospinal excitability was assessed in each hemisphere by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) using the first dorsal interosseus as the target muscle. TMS measures consisted of resting motor threshold (rMT), motor evoked potential (MEP) recruitment curve (RC) and the contralateral silent period (cSP) with the accompanying MEP facilitation. Hemispheric interactions were assessed by means of the ipsilateral silent period (iSP) to determine the onset latency and the duration of transcallosal inhibition (i.e., LTI and DTI). Analysis of hemispheric variations in measures of corticospinal excitability revealed no major asymmetries in relation to degrees of laterality or handedness, with the exception of a rightward increase in rMTs in the LH group. Similarly, no clear asymmetries were found when looking at hemispheric variations in measures of transcallosal inhibition. However, a large group effect was detected for LTI measures, which were found to be significantly shorter in the MH group than in either the LH or RH group. MH participants also tended to show longer DTI than the other participants. Further inspection of overall variations in LTI and DTI measures as a function of LQs revealed that both variables followed a non-linear relationship, which was best described by a 2nd order polynomial function. Overall, these findings provide converging evidence for a link between mixed-handedness and more efficient interhemispheric communication when compared to either right- or left-handedness.

PREDICT-PD: Identifying risk of Parkinson's disease in the community: methods and baseline results

ObjectivesTo present methods and baseline results for an online screening tool to identify increased risk for Parkinson's disease (PD) in the UK population.MethodsRisk estimates for future PD were derived from...

Computerized Measures of Finger Tapping: Effects of Hand Dominance, Age, and Sex

Computerized measures of digit tapping rate were obtained over 3 successive, 10-sec. periods in the right and left index fingers, from a community sample of 1,519 participants (ages 18 to 65 years; 607 men, 912 women). Differences between the dominant and non-dominant hands were found for tapping rate, movement initiation, and button down times, and the decline in tapping rate over the successive, 10-sec. periods. Declines were found in tapping rate in older participants in association with increased intertap variability. Men had higher tapping rates than women in all age ranges. The computerized finger tapping test is an efficient and precise measure of tapping speed and kinetics of potential utility in research and clinical studies of motor performance.

Effects of Finger Tapping Frequency on Regional Homogeneity of Sensorimotor Cortex

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) has been widely used to investigate temporally correlated fluctuations between distributed brain areas, as well as to characterize local synchronization of low frequency (<0.1 Hz) spontaneous fMRI signal. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was proposed as a voxel-wise measure of the synchronization of the timecourses of neighboring voxels and has been used in many studies of brain disorders. However, the interpretation of ReHo remains challenging because the effect of high frequency task on ReHo is still not clear. In order to investigate the effect of a high-frequency task on the modulation of local synchronization of resting-state activity, we employed three right-finger movement scanning sessions: slow-event related (‘Slow’), fast-event related (‘Fast’), and continuous finger pressure (‘Tonic’), from 21 healthy participants and compared the ReHo of the three task states with that of resting-state (‘Rest’). In the contralateral sensorimotor cortex, ‘Slow’ task state showed greater ReHo than ‘Rest’ in low frequency band (0–0.08Hz) fMRI signal, but lower ReHo in high frequency band (0.08–1.67 Hz); ‘Fast’ task state showed lower ReHo than ‘Rest’ in both the low and high frequency band; ‘Tonic’ state did not show any significant difference compared to ‘Rest’. The results in the contralateral sensorimotor cortex suggest that local synchronization of BOLD signal varies with different finger tapping speed. In the ipsilateral sensorimotor cortex, all the three task states had lower ReHo than the ‘Rest’ state both in the low and high frequency, suggesting a similar effect of fast and slow finger tapping frequencies on local synchronization of BOLD signal in the ipsilateral motor cortex.