Eye-hand coordination and its relationship with sensorimotor impairments in stroke survivors

Abstract

Objective: To investigate eye–hand coordination in stroke survivors and its relationship with sensori-motor impairments and hand functioning in daily life. Design: Cross-sectional study. Subjects: Fifteen subjects with stroke (mean age 62.5 years (standard deviation (SD) 7.1); time post-stroke 5.2 years (SD 3.0)) recruited by convenience sampling. Methods: A fast finger-pointing task towards a moving visual target was employed to investigate the differences between the subjects’ affected and unaffected hands in terms of reaction time, movement time and accuracy. Their sensori-motor impairments in tactile sensation, handgrip strength, Fugl-Meyer scores and Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test scores were measured. Results: Significant differences were found between the affected and unaffected hands in terms of movement time and accuracy in finger pointing. Movement time was significantly correlated with tactile sensitivity, handgrip strength and total Fugl-Meyer score, while accuracy correlated with tactile sensitivity and total Fugl-Meyer score. Total scores on the hand function test also correlated significantly with reaction time and movement time. Conclusion: The stroke survivors had poorer eye–hand coordination, in terms of slower movement and reduced accuracy when using their affected hand. These performance measures were significantly correlated with several sensori-motor impairments. A significant correlation was also found between eye–hand coordination performance and hand function test scores.