Many extrapyramidal motor diseases result from underlying neurodegenerative processes, which however are very advanced at the time the clinical diagnosis is made. From animal experiments it seems likely that we may soon have several substances that provide neuroprotective effects, but that their therapeutic use must be as early as possible. This fact was the starting point for the meeting, held at Chiemsee, that formed the basis of this book. The idea was to develop in strumental methods that, first, permit an earlier diagnosis by drawing on the experience of experts and, second, provide a better resolution of successful therapy than the currently used methods. As early as 1886, Charcot tried to differentiate the tremor of polysclerosis and Parkinson patients by using a drum developed by Marey, a physiologist. Subse quently, many apparatuses were developed to better identify movement disorders, initially for diagnostic purposes. Most of these methods proved to be inferior to the skill of experienced observers. In the last two decades, however, both the technical advances made in measuring methods and the improvements achieved in methods of evaluation have led to marked advances in the quantification of motor dis turbances. An objective of the symposium held at Chiemsee and of this book is to provide an overview of the procedures that are currently commonly used for extrapyramidal movement disorders, and to identify their potential and limitations.

Theoretical Basics of Rating Scales

The Hoehn and Yahr Rating Scale for Parkinson's Disease
A Rational Basis for a New Scoring System Measuring Disability in Parkinson's Disease
Depression Inventories in Parkinson's Disease
Selecting Neurologic Function Tests for Parkinson's Disease: A Primer
Measurement of Muscle Tone - Demarcation Between Spasticity and Rigidity
Instrumental Assessment of Rigidity
Tremor Assessment in Clinical Trials
Frequency, Amplitude and Waveform Characteristics of Physiologic and Pathologic Tremors
Interaction Between Voluntary and Involuntary Movements
Long-Term Measurement of Tremor
Kinematics of Standing Posture Associated with Aging and Parkinson's Disease
Differential Diagnosis of Organic and Psychogenic Vertigo Using Dynamic Posturography
Relevance of Posturographic Parameters in the Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonism
Quantification of Dopaminomimetic Effects on Parkinsonian Symptoms Using Automatic and Voluntary Postural Responses
Posturography in Parkinson's Disease Patients on and off Medication
Tracking Measures of Movement
Kinematic Analysis of Complex Movements in Parkinson's Disease
The Age Function of Normative Data for a Personal Computer-based Test System for the Analysis and Quantification of Manual Movement Disability
Quantitative Clinical Evaluation of Parkinsonism Based on Visuomotor Tracking and Tracing
Kinematic Properties of Upper Limb Movement Trajectories
Use of Quantitative Assessment in Evaluating Patients with Neural Transplants
Measurement of Diadochokinesia
The Complexity Effect as an Indicator for the Parkinson Plus Syndrome
Quantitative Assessment of Akinesia in Parkinson's Disease
Motor Performance Test after Schoppe and Clinical Rating Scales - A Comparison.