Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Movement disorders in Kuru.

K Kompoliti1, C G Goetz, D C Gajdusek

  • 1Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society
|September 24, 1999
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Past, present, and future of Parkinson's disease: A special essay on the 200th Anniversary of the Shaking Palsy.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2017
Same author

Revue neurologique·2017
Same author

Charcot, hysteria, and simulated disorders.

Handbook of clinical neurology·2016
Same author

Relationship between the MDS-UPDRS domains and the health-related quality of life of Parkinson's disease patients.

European journal of neurology·2014
Same author

Continuous in-home monitoring of essential tremor.

Parkinsonism & related disorders·2013
Same author

Assessing the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease: MDS-UPDRS and NMS Scale.

European journal of neurology·2013
Same journal

Gene Therapy for Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency: Clinical and Imaging Outcomes in a French Cohort.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
Same journal

Alzheimer's Disease Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers Predict Survival in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
Same journal

Hyperhomocysteinemia and Vitamin B Deficiency as Potential Aggravating Factors in Huntington's Disease: A Prospective Monocentric Study.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
Same journal

Longitudinal Dynamics of Polyglutamine-Expanded ATXN3 in Biofluids of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
Same journal

Putamen Structural-Functional Decoupling as an Early-Stage Candidate Imaging Marker for Motor Severity in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
Same journal

Melanopsin-Mediated Post-Illumination Pupillary Response in Idiopathic Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep Behavior Disorder and Parkinson's Disease.

Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society·2026
See all related articles

Kuru, a prion disease, causes a wide spectrum of movement disorders (MDs), including tremors, clonus, dystonia, chorea, and Parkinsonism, throughout its progression. These findings highlight the diverse neurological impact of this rare condition.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Prion Diseases
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Kuru is a rare subacute spongiform encephalopathy historically linked to ritualistic endocannibalism in New Guinea.
  • Archived film documentation from 1957-1976 provides a unique resource for studying kuru's clinical progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comprehensively document and categorize the movement disorders (MDs) observed in kuru patients.
  • To analyze the temporal emergence and characteristics of various MDs during the illness.

Main Methods:

  • Review of extensive film archives (over 26,000 ft) featuring 251 kuru patients (children and adults).
  • Categorization of observed movement disorders by two specialists in movement disorders.
  • Production of a representative videotape for detailed analysis.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Action/intention tremor is the most common early sign, associated with cerebellar dysfunction.
  • Advanced stages exhibit widespread clonus, dystonia, choreiform jerks, and Parkinsonian features.
  • Myoclonic jerks with an enhanced startle response can also occur.

Conclusions:

  • Kuru presents a diverse range of movement disorders across all stages of the disease.
  • The study underscores the significant neurological impact of kuru, particularly on motor function.