The purpose of this study is to propose a new test for the assessment of ideomotor apraxia. The test is based on the cognitive models that propose the anatomo- functional distinction of the processes involved in action imitation (i.e., a semantic route for imitating known gestures, and a direct route for reproducing new, meaningless gestures). As such, the test allows to identify the imitative process that has been selectively impaired by brain damage. In addition to being based on the meaning of the gestures (i.e., known vs. new gestures), the test permits also to identify possible deficits affecting gestures depending on the body segment involved (i.e., hand/limb vs. hand/fingers). These aspects are important as an appropriate diagnosis of ideomotor apraxia represents the necessary step for planning an adequate rehabilitation program in brain-damaged patients.
Keywords: Ideomotor apraxia, imitation, gestures, assessment

Alessia Tessari, Alessio Toraldo, Alberta Lunardelli, Antonietta Zadini, Raffaella Ida Rumiati, Ptandardized test for the diagnosis of a selective ideomotor apraxia deficit on the basis of gesture and effector types in "RICERCHE DI PSICOLOGIA " 3/2011, pp. 311-339, DOI:10.3280/RIP2011-003001