Applause sign helps to discriminate PSP from FTD and PD

• Published in: Neurology Vol. 64; no. 12; pp. 2132 - 2133
• Main Authors: DUBOIS, B, SLACHEVSKY, A, PILLON, B, BEATO, R, VILLALPONDA, J. M, LITVAN, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 28-06-2005
• Subjects: Aged; Basal Ganglia - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Dementia - diagnosis; Dementia - physiopathology; Diagnosis, Differential; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Female; Frontal Lobe - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Movement - physiology; Movement Disorders - diagnosis; Movement Disorders - physiopathology; Neural Pathways - physiopathology; Neurologic Examination - methods; Neurology; Oculomotor disorders; Ophthalmology; Parkinson Disease - diagnosis; Parkinson Disease - physiopathology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Predictive Value of Tests; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive - diagnosis; Supranuclear Palsy, Progressive - physiopathology; Toxicity: eye; Volition - physiology; Nervous system diseases; Sign
• ISSN: 0028-3878; 1526-632X
• DOI: 10.1212/01.WNL.0000165977.38272.15

The "applause sign" is a simple test of motor control that helps to differentiate PSP from frontal or striatofrontal degenerative diseases. It was found in 0/39 controls, 0 of 24 patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), 0 of 17 patients with Parkinson disease (PD), and 30/42 patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). It discriminated PSP from FTD (p < 0.001) and PD (p < 0.00). The "three clap test" correctly identified 81.8% of the patients in the comparison PSP and FTD and 75% of the patients in the comparison of PSP and PD.