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Updated: Apr 15, 2026
Behavioral Assessment of Manual Dexterity in Non-Human Primates
Published on: November 11, 2011
Effect of white matter lesions on manual dexterity in healthy middle-aged persons
Paul A Nyquist1, Lisa R Yanek2, Murat Bilgel2
1From the Departments of Neurology (P.A.N.), Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine (P.A.N.), and Neurosurgery (P.A.N.), and Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine (L.R.Y., L.C.B., K.C.-D., B.G.K., D.V., D.M.B.), GeneSTAR Research Program; Department of Biomedical Engineering (M.B., J.L.C., J.P.), Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; and Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology (L.C.B., B.G.K.), and Department of Radiology, Divisions of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology (D.Y.), The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD. pnyquis1@jhmi.edu.
Objectives:
We hypothesized that integrated motor-visual functions measured by manipulative manual dexterity are affected by white matter lesion (WML) burden as measured on cranial MRI across relevant brain regions in subjects at risk of preclinical occult vascular disease.
Methods:
A real-time cross-sectional study of healthy subjects aged 29 to 74 years with a family history of early-onset coronary artery disease (n = 714; mean age, 51 ± 11 years; mean education, 14 ± 3 years; 42% male; 38% black) were identified from probands with coronary artery disease diagnosed before age 60 years. WMLs on 3-tesla brain MRI and Grooved Pegboard scores were measured.
Results:
WMLs were observed at all ages. Mean pegboard scores were 108 ± 18, similar to normal populations. In unadjusted analysis, WMLs and pegboard scores were significantly correlated by region (total WMLs, r = 0.34, p = 0.0001; frontal [r = 0.34, p < 0.0001], insula [r = 0.31, p < 0.0001], parietal [r = 0.31, p < 0.0001], and temporal [r = 0.17, p < 0.0001]). In multivariate analysis predicting (log) pegboard score adjusted for age, sex, race, education, regional or total volumes, and familial non-independence, total WML volume (p = 5.79E - 05) and regional WML volumes (p < 0.01) retained statistical significance in all but the youngest age quartile (29-43 years).
Conclusions:
Greater WML volumes in different brain regions are associated with higher pegboard scores (worse performance) independent of age, sex, race, education, and total or regional volumes. This suggests that small vessel cerebrovascular disease may be present in healthy individuals in a preclinical state with measurable impact on complex integrative functions in individuals with excess risk of clinical vascular disease.
Insights
White matter lesions (WMLs) in the brain are linked to poorer manual dexterity in healthy individuals at risk for vascular disease. This preclinical damage impacts complex functions, even in younger adults.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Vascular Disease Research
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Subtle white matter lesions (WMLs) may indicate preclinical cerebrovascular disease.
- Individuals with a family history of early-onset coronary artery disease are at increased risk.
- Integrative motor-visual functions, like manual dexterity, can be sensitive to early brain changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between white matter lesion (WML) burden and manual dexterity.
- To determine if this association is present in healthy individuals at risk for preclinical vascular disease.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 714 healthy adults (aged 29-74) with a family history of early-onset coronary artery disease.
- White matter lesions (WMLs) assessed using 3-tesla brain MRI.
- Manual dexterity measured using the Grooved Pegboard test.
Main Results:
- Significant correlations were found between WMLs in various brain regions (frontal, insula, parietal, temporal) and poorer pegboard scores.
- Total and regional WML volumes remained significant predictors of worse manual dexterity in multivariate analyses, adjusting for multiple factors.
- This association was observed across most age groups, except the youngest quartile.
Conclusions:
- Greater WML burden is independently associated with impaired manual dexterity in at-risk healthy individuals.
- This suggests that small vessel cerebrovascular disease can manifest preclinically, affecting complex integrative functions.
- Findings highlight the potential impact of subclinical vascular changes on cognitive and motor abilities.
