THE DIENCEPHALIC CENTERS CONTROLLING ASSOCIATED LOCOMOTOR MOVEMENTS

Abstract

One of the striking signs appearing early in many cases of paralysis agitans is the loss of the normal automatic, associated movements. In walking the normal quadruped alternates the movements of the legs by associating the left fore with the right hind, and the right fore with the left hind limb; in normal man we see the identical coordination between arm and leg movements. If now, a typical case of paralysis agitans is observed, it is seen that the arms are carried with the trunk and do not swing in coordination with the contralateral leg. That this is not due to the rigidity of the arms is obvious because many cases presenting this sign are not rigid, merely having the tremor and mask-like features characteristic of this syndrome. The literature on automatic associated movements is indefinite and largely clinical. The papers published by those who have studied the basal