Abstract
We observed a total of 6 cases of cerebral infarction, including 5 of the right and one of the left anterior cerebral arteries, which required compulsive manipulation of tools. We recognized the following observations in addition to ordinary phenomena.
1) The phenomenon of synkinesia between hand, face and mouth occurred in some cases.
2) Compulsive manipulations of tools are provoked not only visually and tactually but also by mere imagination.
3) Compulsive manipulations of tools which are not observed usually may be provoked according to provocative limb sites.
4) Some cases showed long-term persistent symtoms in addition to transitory ones.
5) Cases of long-term persistent symptoms displayed the pathological grasp phenomenon, severe motor paralysis and extensive lesions including the corpus callosum as common findings.
6) The hand on the affected side showed will-independent, aimless pill-rolling-like motions, though without as definite a tendency as observed in Parkinson's disease.
7) Some cases, in which a right frontal lobar lesion induced compulsive manipulation of tools, were noted to have the onset of the pathological grasp phenomenon.
