Aging clinical and experimental research
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Dysgraphia is a recognized clinical finding in delirium, but few studies have evaluated handwriting, and results have been inconsistent. In particular, handwritten signatures, which may be a motor automatism, have not been previously evaluated in delirious patients. The aim was to assess abnormalities of signature and spontaneous writing in delirious patients and to investigate their clinical utility in the detection of delirium. ⋯ An abnormal signature may be an indicator of delirium. People with delirium have handwriting problems, which may be partly caused by cognitive impairment but also by disorders of motor function.