Basal ganglia & cerebellar pathology terms

Question 1

akinesia

Answer 1

inability to initiate movement

Question 2

athetosis

Answer 2

slow, involuntary, writhing, twisting movements

Question 3

bradykinesia

Answer 3

decreased amplitude and velocity of voluntary movement (parkinson’s)

Question 4

chorea

Answer 4

involuntary, rapid, irregular, jerky movements involving multiple joints (huntington’s disease)

Question 5

dystonia

Answer 5

sustained involuntary contractions of agonist & antagonist muscles causing abnormal posturing

Question 6

hyperkinesia

Answer 6

increased muscle activity or movement

Question 7

hypokinesia

Answer 7

decreased motor response especially to a specific stimulus

Question 8

rigidity

Answer 8

increase in muscle tone causing greater resistance to passive movement (lead pipe; cogwheel)

Question 9

tremor

Answer 9

involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movement (resting, intention, postural)

Question 10

ataxia

Answer 10

loss of muscle coordination as a result of cerebellar pathology

Question 11

gait ataxia

Answer 11

typically includes broad BOS, arms in high guard position, stepping pattern is irregular in distance and direction

Question 12

cerebellar dysarthria

Answer 12

disorder of motor component of speech articulation

Question 13

dysdiadochokinesia

Answer 13

impaired ability to perform rapid alternating movements

Question 14

dysmetria

Answer 14

inability to judge distance or range of movement (hypermetria; hypometria)

Question 15

hypotonia

Answer 15

decrease in muscle tone

Question 16

nystagmus

Answer 16

rhythmic, quick, oscillatory, back & forth movement of the eyes

Question 17

rebound phenomenon

Answer 17

loss of the check reflex which functions to halt forceful active movements when resistance is removed