The Japanese journal of neuropsychology

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ArticleTitle	The Evaluation of Imitation Behavior of 163 consecutive cases
Language	J
AuthorList	Sachiyo Kitta¹⁾, Chieko Nonaka¹⁾, Yoko Koyama¹⁾, Takao Oka¹⁾, Koji Fujita²⁾, Yutaka Tanaka³⁾
Affiliation	1) Speech Therapy, Sakakibara Onsen Hospital 2) Department of Internal Medicine, Sakakibara Onsen Hospital 3) Tanaka Clinic
Publication	Japanese Journal of Neuropsychology: 23 (2), 139-143, 2007
Received	Jul 13, 2006
Accepted	Oct 5, 2006
Abstract	Imitation behavior was examined 163 consecutive admissions to our hospital from Aug 1st 2004 to March 31st 2005. Inpatient evaluations included cognitive and language function and/or swallowing function. These included 163 cases: 126 with stroke (74 with cerebral infarction, 32 with cerebral hemorrhage, and 20 with other causes), 4 with Alzheimer's Disease, 4 with Parkinson's Disease, and 29 with other etiologies. Evaluations of imitation behavior was performed using an original "imitation checklist" which consisted of 20 items (10 for upper limb and 10 for lower limb). Four out of 163 cases demonstrated significant imitation behavior. All showed imitation with only upper limb. Two of these were associated with thalamic hemorrhage (one with right and the other with left) and two with multiple infarctions involving the frontal lobe. There were no patients with Alzheimer Disease. We compared the two subjects with thalamic lesion and imitation and to nine with thalamic lesion but no imitation. There were no differences between in frequency of dementia, motor persistent, aphasia, apraxia, or utilization behavior. However, the imitation group showed were older (mean age imitation group versus mean age non imitation group) and abulia.
Keywords	frontal lobe syndrome, imitation behavior, abulia, thalamus, Frontal-Subcortical Circuits