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Unilateral upper limb asterixis related to primary motor cortex infarction
N Nighoghossian1, P Trouillas, C Vial
1Service de Neurologie, Hôpital Neurologique, Lyon, France.
Stroke
|February 1, 1995
Summary
Unilateral upper limb asterixis, a rare condition, can result from a cortical infarct. This study links primary motor cortex lesions to asterixis, suggesting a disruption in motor command signals.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Unilateral upper limb asterixis is an uncommon neurological presentation.
- This study investigates the link between cortical infarcts and asterixis.
Observation:
- Two patients presented with acute upper limb ataxia and asterixis.
- Electromyography revealed abrupt interruptions in extensor muscle activity.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified right cortical infarcts in the primary motor cortex.
Findings:
- Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were normal, ruling out proprioceptive input processing failure.
- Asterixis was associated with lesions in the primary motor cortex.
Implications:
- Findings suggest asterixis may stem from impaired central motor commands affecting postural tone.
- This challenges previous understandings of asterixis pathophysiology.