The coin rotation task: A convenient and sensitive measure of fine motor control

Abstract

The coin rotation task(CR)isasensitive,efficacious,convenient,andcost-effectivemeasure of finemotorcoordination.InCR,participantsrotateacointhroughserial180-degreeturnsusing the fistthreefingers.Apreviousstudyexaminednormalandpost-CVAmaleveteransages 41–74. Inthecurrentstudy,wesoughttovalidateCRonaheterogeneous neurologically-impaired clinicalpopulationofbothsexesandofincreasedagerange.Participantsincludeda random sampleof97neurologyclinicoutpatients;controlsincludedunmedicated, education-matched volunteers,withoutnecrologichistories,recruitedfromawaitingareainthesame hospital. ParticipantswereadministeredCR,GroovedPegboard(GP),FingerTappingTest,and Grip StrengthTest.ResultssuggesttheutilityoftheCRfortheneurologyclinicsample, and specificallyforaseizuredisordersubsarnple(n=32),aswellasforcontrols(n=79).Of primary interestwastheinversecorrelationbetweentotalrotationsonCRandGPtotaltime, bilaterally fortheclinicalsample(dominantside:r=–.62,p < .001),aswellasspecificallyfortheseizuredis