CSF drainage ameliorates the motor deficit in normal pressure hydrocephalus: evidence from the analysis of grasping movements

Apart from the classic triad of hypokinetic gait disorder, cognitive dysfunction and urinary incontinence, the clinical spectrum of normal pressure hydrocephalus has been found to contain bradykinesia of hand and arm movements. It is unclear if the bradykinesia of hand and arm movements improves with CSF evacuation. The present study was designed to quantitatively assess the effect of CSF evacuation on the bradykinesia of grasping movements in normal pressure hydrocephalus. Eight subjects with normal pressure hydrocephalus grasped to lift an instrumented object prior to and following evacuation of 40ml CSF. The…