| Popis: |
The present thesis for doctorate compared tapping movements of schizophrenic patients to normal controls. Also the possible influnces of social or clinical signs (especially the neuroleptical medication) were examined. The movements of the index finger were recorded by a ultrasound measurement system. First of all important methological questions had to be answered in some preliminary studies. After this both self-paced and externally-paced tapping (conditions: fluently, as fast as possible, given beat 100 bpm and 200 bpm) was examined. The hypotheses based of an extensive summary of the literatur of finger tapping in schizophrenia. The comparison of the two groups showed significant increased intraindividual variabiltity of motor performance under any of the experimental conditions and significant decreased maximal tapping frequency in schizophrenic patients. While the amount of muscular rigidity due to neuroleptic medication seems to decrease maximal tapping frequency, the intraindividual variability might be almost independent of neuroleptical medication. |
