Adjunct diagnostic test for Angelman syndrome: The tuning fork response

✍ Scribed by Hall, Bryan D.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 267 KB
• Volume: 109
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0148-7299
• DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.10302

✦ Synopsis

I am reporting an apparently unique response by Angelman syndrome individuals to the vibrating tuning fork when it is held up to their ears. The response is a wide smile, often with an outburst of laughter, followed by a tendency to lean toward the vibrating tuning fork. The tuning fork used is a standard physician issue which is aluminum alloy with fixed weights at the vibrating end. It cycles at 128 cycles per second and can be seen in all the accompanying photographs.