The onset side of the disease influences the manual dexterity in patients with Parkinson’s disease
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-6149.v29i3p223-229Keywords:
Hypokinesia, Motor Skills, Hand, Functional LateralityAbstract
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the asymmetric onset of motor symptoms and manual dexterity. It is expected that patients with preferred onset side affected can maintain a good performance with the more affected side (MAS) due to the life-long motor experience. The aim of the study was to verify the interference of coincidence between the disease onset side and manual preference in the performance of manual dexterity, MAS and less affected side in patients with PD. The patients were distributed according to the disease onset side: Coincident group (preferred affected side) and non-coincident group (non-preferred affected side). Manual dexterity was assessed by the Annett Pegboard adapted test. The statistical analysis ANOVA for two factors (group x side), with repeated measures in the last factor, revealed that the Non-coincident group spent more time to complete the test with the MAS (p=0.001), while the Coincident group spent the same time to perform the test with both sides, indicating that patients in the early stages of PD and disease onset by preferred side lose the manual proficiency. Therefore, interventions to improve manual skills have become important since the diagnosis of the disease, especially in patients with the preferred affected side.