The Fitts task reveals impairments in planning and online control of movement in Friedreich ataxia: reduced cerebellar-cortico connectivity?

Neuroscience, doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2011.06.057, Available online 25 June 2011.

Louise A. Corben 1, 2, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis 2, John L. Bradshaw 2, Darren R. Hocking 3, Andrew J. Churchyard 4 and Martin B. Delatycki 1, 5, 6

1 Bruce Lefroy Centre for Genetic Health Research, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
2 Experimental Neuropsychology Research Unit, School of Psychology and, Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
3 Developmental Neuroscience and Genetic Disorders Laboratory, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
4 Monash Neurology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
5 Department of Clinical Genetics, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
6 Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia

KEYWORDS: Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), cognitive and/or psychomotor capacity, cerebellum, cortex, Fitts’ Law, preplanning of movement, online error detection and correction, prefrontal/anterior regions.