Athetosis

The athetosis is the medical term for involuntary, slow -playing, EXTENDING movements of hands or feet, usually associated with joint overextension. It is counted among the extrapyramidal hyperkinesis. A common cause is a perinatal injury to the basal ganglia, which means that movements are not fluent but run " abruptly ". The transitions from athetosis to dystonia and choreic disorders are fluid.

Symptoms

The athetosis as one of the most common forms of extrapyramidal paralysis is based on damage of the striatum ( striatum, name for a part of the basal ganglia of the brain), causing the inhibitory effect attributable to the voluntary motor.

The main feature of athetosis is their tonic disturbed coordination, to hyperkinetic movements ( excessive movement activity, uncontrolled, slow, screwing movements of the limbs and trunk, involuntarily running body movement, muscle twitching ) leads. In visual attention and mental excitation, the restlessness increases in sleep she stops in general. An observable phenomenon of athetosis are slow, indiscriminate, worm or helical movements, especially on the face, the neck muscles and the distal limb segments. Characteristic are still bizarre over-stretching, the spreading of the fingers, grimacing at the open and distorted mouth, salivation and cramped neck posture, as well as the rotation of the head. The corridor is about shooting and stumbling, contrary to the spasticity caused by the ever-changing income movements no contractures. Athetosis and spasticity are often combined.

Here the interaction of agonists and antagonists is disturbed. On one hand, the attitude of a disabling constantly changing hinder muscle tone and on the other hand continually unbridled excessive movements in bizarre forms which specific movements. The sudden loss of postural control can by hypotonic muscle activity in terms of forces not be compensated. Hypermobility in some joints can lead to dislocation. The motor development strategy is not clearly identifiable and can be misinterpreted. Similarly, involuntary facial expressions and gestures, speech disorders lead to communicative misunderstandings that can promote emotional disorders. The sensory-motor development of children affected is usually strongly delayed ( delayed walking, sometimes only with tools ).

Treatment goals

Treatment is aimed at changing the attitude control by arbitrary control involuntary movements. It will improve breathing and ( with aids) help to support communication, to facilitate in food intake and independence in locomotion. In addition, it aims at avoiding secondary damage to sensorimotor and emotional- social level.

Etymology

Athetosis is derived from the ancient Greek PPP θετός thetós the verb τιθέναι tithénai " cause " from which a reversal of the importance Alpha privative is to be sent. Literally, therefore, means something athetosis not cause lasstes, that is involuntary.