Interlocking finger test: a bedside screen for parietal lobe dysfunction

This study sought to determine the utility of an interlocking finger task in screening for parietal lobe dysfunction. The ability of 69 patients to imitate a standardised set of four interlocking finer figures was compared with concurrent performance on formal neurocognitive tests. Poor interlocking finger test scores correlated most highly with standard measures of parietal lobe dysfunction. In addition, an analytical model of parietal dysfunction indicated the interlocking finger test was similar to if not better than standard tests of parietal lobe dysfunction indicated the interlocking finger test was similar to, if not better than, standard tests of parietal lobe dysfunction. Attempts to imitate these figures should serve as a fast and simple screen of parietal lobe dysfunction.