Table of Contents

FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF MOTOR CONTROL AND HANDWRITING
Neuroanatomical and Neurochemical Bases of Motor Control
Historical Perspective on Brain Function for Hand Motor Control
Neuroanatomical Bases of Hand Motor Control
Basal Ganglia Neurochemistry
Frontal-Subcortical Neural Circuits and Motor Function
The Cerebellum and Brain Stem
Neuroanatomical Bases of Handwriting Movements
Lesion Studies
Functional Neuroimaging Studies
Models of Handwriting Motor Control
Handwriting as a Motor Program
Hierarchical Models of Handwriting Motor Control
Cost Minimization Models
Equilibrium Point Model
Neurological Disease and Motor Control
Parkinson's Disease
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration
Essential Tremor
Multiple System Atrophy
Multiple Sclerosis
Huntington's Disease
Lower Motoneuron Disease
Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Psychotropic Medications: Effects on Motor Control
An Overview of Psychotropic Medications
Neurobiology of Psychotropic-Induced Movement Disorders
Aging and Motor Control
Neurotransmitter Mechanisms of Motor Aging
Aging Effects on Motor Behavior
KINEMATICS OF SIGNATURE AUTHENTICATION
A Kinematic Approach to Signature Authentication
The Kinematic Approach
Isochrony in Genuine, Autosimulated, and Forged Signatures
Methods: Writers and Procedures
Results
Discussion
Kinematic Analyses of Stroke Direction in Genuine and Forged Signatures
Methods: Writers and Procedures
Results
Upstroke/Downstroke Ratio Scores
NEUROLOGIC DISEASE, DRUGS, AND AGING AND THEIR EFFECTS ON HANDWRITING
Neurological Disease and Handwriting
Handwriting in Specific Neurological Diseases
Effects of Psychotropic Medications on Handwriting
Empirical Research on Effects of Psychotropics on Handwriting Kinematics
Substance Abuse and Handwriting
Methamphetamine
Cannabis
Alcohol
Aging and Handwriting
Empirical Research on Effects of Aging on Handwriting
Conclusions
Bibliography

About the Author

Michael P. Caligiuri, Ph.D. is an affiliate of University of California, San Diego, USA. Linton Mohammed is an affiliate of Latrobe University, Melbourne, Australia.