Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1994 Jan;57(1):22–26. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.57.1.22

Measuring ataxia: quantification based on the standard neurological examination.

N C Notermans 1, G W van Dijk 1, Y van der Graaf 1, J van Gijn 1, J H Wokke 1
PMCID: PMC485035  PMID: 8301300

Abstract

To quantify ataxia in a simple way four tests were developed and analysed, based on the neurological examination: a tapping test for the arms (test 1), another one for the legs (test 2), a quantified finger-to-nose test (test 3), and a modified Romberg test (test 4). All tests were performed by 115 volunteers, 13 patients with cerebellar ataxia and 25 patients with sensory ataxia due to neuropathy. The test-retest repeatability was excellent. Tests 1, 2 and 4 were age-dependent, with lower scores above age 65. On test 1, 2 and 4 both groups of patients performed worse than controls; the correlation with the ataxia scale of Nobile-Orazio and the modified disability Rankin scale was good (P < 0.05). Although test 3 could differentiate between sensory and cerebellar ataxia, it was not useful for quantifying the degree of ataxia. To determine the practical value of the four tests, 11 patients performed the tests for a second time after a follow up period of 16 months. The results indicate that tests 1, 2 and 4 are sensitive for the detection of ataxia and of changes in its severity.

Full text

PDF
22

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bland J. M., Altman D. G. Statistical methods for assessing agreement between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet. 1986 Feb 8;1(8476):307–310. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Fillyaw M. J., Badger G. J., Bradley W. G., Tandan R., Blair C. J., Fries T. J., Wilder D. G., Boerman J., Young J., Witarsa M. Quantitative measures of neurological function in chronic neuromuscular diseases and ataxia. J Neurol Sci. 1989 Aug;92(1):17–36. doi: 10.1016/0022-510x(89)90172-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Goldberg J. M., Lindblom U. Standardised method of determining vibratory perception thresholds for diagnosis and screening in neurological investigation. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1979 Sep;42(9):793–803. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.42.9.793. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gosselin S., Kyle R. A., Dyck P. J. Neuropathy associated with monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance. Ann Neurol. 1991 Jul;30(1):54–61. doi: 10.1002/ana.410300111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Graybiel A., Fregly A. R. A new quantitative ataxia test battery. Acta Otolaryngol. 1966 Apr;61(4):292–312. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Jacobs J. M., Love S. Qualitative and quantitative morphology of human sural nerve at different ages. Brain. 1985 Dec;108(Pt 4):897–924. doi: 10.1093/brain/108.4.897. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. McGinty D. J., London M. S., Baker T. L., Stevenson M., Hoppenbrouwers T., Harper R. M., Sterman M. B., Hodgman J. Sleep apnea in normal kittens. Sleep. 1979 Summer;1(4):393–412. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Nobile-Orazio E., Baldini L., Barbieri S., Marmiroli P., Spagnol G., Francomano E., Scarlato G. Treatment of patients with neuropathy and anti-MAG IgM M-proteins. Ann Neurol. 1988 Jul;24(1):93–97. doi: 10.1002/ana.410240118. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Pourcher E., Barbeau A. Field testing of an ataxia scoring and staging system. Can J Neurol Sci. 1980 Nov;7(4):339–344. doi: 10.1017/s031716710002285x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Shimoyama I., Ninchoji T., Uemura K. The finger-tapping test. A quantitative analysis. Arch Neurol. 1990 Jun;47(6):681–684. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1990.00530060095025. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Stein R. E., Gortmaker S. L., Perrin E. C., Perrin J. M., Pless I. B., Walker D. K., Weitzman M. Severity of illness: concepts and measurements. Lancet. 1987 Dec 26;2(8574):1506–1509. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(87)92633-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Verkerk P. H., Schouten J. P., Oosterhuis H. J. Measurement of the handcoordination. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 1990;92(2):105–109. doi: 10.1016/0303-8467(90)90084-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. van Swieten J. C., Koudstaal P. J., Visser M. C., Schouten H. J., van Gijn J. Interobserver agreement for the assessment of handicap in stroke patients. Stroke. 1988 May;19(5):604–607. doi: 10.1161/01.str.19.5.604. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES