Characteristics of motor disturbance in Parkinson's disease and strategies for movement rehabilitation

Recent advances in the fields of cerebral blood flow analysis, single cell brain recordings and human motor performance have elaborated the unique characteristics of movement disturbance in Parkinson's disease. These lines of research suggest that the basal ganglia have two major functions in motor control. The first is concerned with the maintenance of preparedness for movement, known as 'motor set'. The second function is the provision of internal motor cues which act to trigger submovements in well learned sequences. Disturbance to these mechanisms leads to the classic hallmarks of Parkinson's disease: hypokinesia, akinesia, rigidity and tremor. Knowledge of the motor control mechanisms associated with these movement disorders is used as a theoretical basis for movement rehabilitation strategies in Parkinson's disease.