Research Byte: Finger tapping-related activation differences in treatment-naive pediatric Tourette syndrome: a comparison of the preferred and nonpreferred hand

PT J
AU Roessner, V
Wittfoth, M
August, JM
Rothenberger, A
Baudewig, J
Dechent, P
AF Roessner, Veit
Wittfoth, Matthias
August, Julia M.
Rothenberger, Aribert
Baudewig, Juergen
Dechent, Peter
TI Finger tapping-related activation differences in treatment-naive
pediatric Tourette syndrome: a comparison of the preferred and
nonpreferred hand
SO JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
AB Background: Disturbances of motor circuitry are commonly encountered in
Tourette syndrome (TS). The aim of this study was to investigate simple
motor performance differences between boys with TS and healthy controls.
Methods: We attempted to provide insight into motor network alterations
by studying a group of treatment-naive patients suffering from pure' TS,
i.e., without comorbid symptomatology at an early stage of disease. We
used functional MRI to compare activation patterns during right
(preferred) and left (nonpreferred) index finger tapping between 22 TS
boys (12.6 +/- 1.7years) and 22 age-matched healthy control boys.
Results: Boys with TS revealed altered motor network recruitment for
right (dominant) and left (nondominant) index finger tapping. Brain
activation patterns in response to index finger tapping of the
nonpreferred left hand reflected the most prominent differences,
including activation decrease in contralateral sensorimotor cortex while
recruiting premotor and prefrontal regions along with the left inferior
parietal lobule to a greater extent. Conclusions: This study
demonstrates clear functional differences of simple index finger tapping
in early-stage TS. We suggest that this reflects the requirement for
additional brain networks to keep a normal performance level during the
actual task and adaptive mechanisms due to continuous tic suppression
and performance in TS.
PD MAR
PY 2013
VL 54
IS 3
BP 273
EP 279
ER

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Kevin McGrew, Phd.
Educational Psychologist
Institute for Applied Psychometrics
Director IAP
www.themindhub.com
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