Congruent deterioration of complex and simple movements in patients with Huntington's disease

Rating scales and assessment of simple and complex movements may reflect severity of Huntington's disease (HD). Objectives of our study were to compare scored HD symptoms and outcomes of instrumental tests, which demand for simple (tapping) and complex (peg insertion) movement series, in controls and subjects in various HD stages and to correlate them to each other. Motor test outcomes were significantly worsened in previously untreated and treated HD patients in comparison with HD gene carriers and controls. Peg insertion- and tapping results significantly correlated with the scored HD symptoms. Significant associations appeared between both motor test results in the controls, the previously untreated- and treated HD patients. Results of both instrumental tasks represent no specific diagnostic marker of HD, but the significant associations between both motor test outcomes indicate, that a parallel progress of deterioration of complex and simple movement abilities occurs after start of HD.