Intralimb and interlimb incoordination: Comparative study between patients with parkinsonism and with cerebellar ataxia

Abstract

Dysfunction of limb coordination may be divided into two categories; intra and inter-limb incoordination. To make clear differential character in these two limb incoordination, we measured 13 patients mainly with cerebellar ataxia and 27 patients mainly with parkinsonism during pedaling of an ergometer with left and right pedals that can be rotated independently. As a result, interlimb incoordination was predominantly observed in patients with parkinsonism, while patients with cerebellar ataxia showed relatively preserved interlimb coordination but intralimb incoordination. We concluded that impairment of intralimb coordination was a character in patients with cerebellar ataxia, while impairment of interlimb coordination was a character in patients with parkinsonism.