Approaching theorical models of limb apraxia: a clinical update

Abstract

Apraxia is a common disorder in people who have suffered a left hemispheric stroke, with significant impact on their quality of life. Although several models have been proposed for its interpretation and approach, some aspects are still under study. The objective of this study is to review the current models of limb apraxia, to analyze the available evaluation tools and to make recommendations for clinical practice. The review shows that in the literature there is a greater interest in the conceptual system within the lexical-semantic route, without developing in detail the conceptual system within the visuomotor route. This article proposes a model of apraxia that overcomes these limitations and describes an assessment method focused on body knowledge within the visuomotor route. Finally, it is concluded that more studies are necessary to experimentally validate the proposed model and the associated evaluation methods.