A muscular disorder characterized by irregular, twisting, slow movements of the toes and fingers. It results from a lesion in the extrapyramidal pathways.
A recurring, involuntary, tentacle-like movement of the hands and feet, usually associated with brain pathology.
Repeated slow movements of the limbs, caused by a brain disorder such as cerebral palsy.
Athetosis is characterized by uncontrollable, jerky, irregular, and twisting movements of the extremities, which result in unsteadiness, incoordination, and distortion of movement and posture. Accuracy of release is difficult due to the lack of voluntary control or direction and is often concentrated in the hands, arms, feet, and legs (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke [NINDS], 2001a). The slow writhing movements may be combined with intermittent stiffening spells and extensor spasms. Athetoid movements are a result of the alternating flexion-extension and supination-pronation of the muscle groups and limbs . The athetoid’s walking style is characterized as a writhing, lurching, and stumbling gait accompanied by an excess of arm movement. The abnormal twisting movements of the muscles are often reduced or completely disappear during sleep. Emotional stress can intensify the athetoid symptoms.
Slow, involuntary, writhing movements, resulting from disturbance deep within the brain, often associated with the quick, jerky movements of chorea, the combination called choreoathetosis. The condition is often found in people who have Huntington’s disease, cerebral palsy, encephalitis, or brain disorders; it can also be a side effect of certain drugs.
Condition characterized by slow, continuous involuntary position changes of the hands and feet and other parts of the body, as sometimes seen in cerebral palsy.
Involuntary, slow, and irregular snakelike, twisting movements in the upper extremities associated with encephalitis, cerebral palsy, hepatic encephalopathy, Huntington’s chorea, or drug toxicity.
An involuntary movement disorder characterized by slow, writhing, continuous movements of the extremities. Athetosis most commonly affects the head, face, neck, and limbs. There may also be facial grimacing. Athetosis is caused by damage to the basal ganglia (clusters of nerve cells deep in the brain) and is associated with medical disorders such as cerebral palsy and Huntington chorea. It is often difficult to distinguish from chorea (a more rapid involuntary movement disorder) and is sometimes called choreoathetosis.
A writhing involuntary movement especially affecting the hands, face, and tongue. It is usually a form of cerebral palsy. It impairs the child’s ability to speak or use his hands; intelligence is often unaffected.
Slow, involuntary writhing and repeated movements of the face, tongue, hands and feet, caused by disease of the brain. It is usually a manifestation of cerebral palsy. Drugs used to treat parkinsonism can also cause athetosis.
A condition in which slow, irregular, twisting, snakelike movements occur in the upper extremities, especially in the hands and fingers. These involuntary movements prevent sustaining the body, especially the extremities, in one position. All four limbs may be affected or the involvement may be unilateral. The symptoms may be due to encephalitis, cerebral palsy, hepatic encephalopathy, drug toxicity, or Huntington’s chorea or may be an undesired side effect of prolonged treatment of parkinsonism with levodopa.
A condition characterized by slow, twisting, and involuntary muscle movements.
Dystonia is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary, slow, and twisting movements, primarily affecting the face, head, neck, and limbs. These movements often involve facial grimacing, resulting in contortions of the mouth. Additionally, individuals with dystonia may experience difficulties with balance and walking.
Athetosis is often accompanied by chorea, which involves involuntary and erratic jerky movements. Both athetosis and chorea result from injury or impairment to the basal ganglia, groups of nerve cells in the brain responsible for regulating movement.
Athetosis can be attributed to various causes, including brain damage occurring before or during birth, encephalitis (infection of the brain), degenerative disorders like Huntington’s disease, or as a side effect of certain medications such as phenothiazine drugs or levodopa. In cases where drug treatment is responsible for the condition, the abnormal movements may cease upon discontinuation of the medication.
Involuntary and rhythmic muscle movements, typically in the fingers, caused by a brain disorder.