Intermanual transfer in an artist with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

A professional right-handed painter with Parkinson’s disease (PD) broke his right arm and continued to paint with his left hand, showing an intact intermanual transfer of skills. This neurocognitive process is related to the supplementary motor area, a brain region that has also been shown to be involved in PD. This observation raises questions about the exact neural underpinnings of intermanual transfer and the possible impact of neurodegenerative disease and medication.

Keywords:

• Parkinson’s disease
• motor skill
• hemispheric dominance
• dexterity
• intermanual transfer

Acknowledgment

The authors thank Mr Juan Mallol Pibernat for his consent to publish about his condition and this peculiar episode in his artistic life.