Definitions Flashcards
Agnosia
loss of ability to recognise objects and symbols through a particular sensory channel (vision, hearing, touch)
Anosognia
a severe form of neglect to the extent that the patient fails to recognise the presence or severity of their dysfunction
Aphasia
failure to understand and inability to use verbal expression due to impairment of the dominant cerebral hemisphere
Apraxia
the inability to copy or carry out skilled purposeful movements either on command or automatically, in the absence of severe motor weakness, sensory loss or incoordination
Alexia
inability to read
Acalculia
inability to do calculations
Autopagnosia
disturbances in perception or inability to recognise the patient’s own body or body parts
Decerebrate Rigidity
rigid extension of the trunk, neck and all four limbs.
limbs are adducted and internally rotated
destruction of higher brain functions leaving only the reticulospinal tracts intact
Decorticate Rigidity
rigid extension of the trunk, neck and lower limbs, flexion of the upper limbs
related to anti-gravity reflexes
Dysarthria
defects of articulation arising from neuro muscular or cerebellar conditions affect muscle tone and the action of the muscles used in articulation
affects reflex behaviours suchs as sucking, swallowing or chewing
Flaccidity
total loss of tone and absence of DTRs resulting in minimal muscle tension which contributes to joint instability, in co-ordination, poor postural adjustments and decreased functional ability
Dyskinesia - athetosis
slow writhing continuous involuntary movements of the head, trunk and distal musculature of the limbs
Dyskinesia - chorea
jerky, rapid, purposeless involuntary movement involving the trunk and proximal limb musculature
hyperkinetic disorders
Dyskinesia - tremor
fine or coarse involuntary, rhythmic oscillating movements of any part of the body resulting from reciprocal co-contraction of antagonistic muscle groups
Dyskinesia - ballisumus/hemiballismus
large range flinging or flailing movements of one or both upper limbs
Rigidity
an increase in muscle tension in both antagonists and antagonists, associated with PD
consequences of akinesia and bradykinesia
Laterality
awareness/recognition of right and left
Lability
fluctuating emotional changes (inappropriate crying/laughing)
Nystagmus
rhythmic oscillation of the eyeballs, in a horizontal, rotatory or vertical direction and the oscillation is made of slow or fast components
Perseveration
tendency for a mental or motor process to continue in activity after the situation which called it forth ceases to be present
Two-point discrimination
ability to discriminate between two points on the body
Sensory Inattention
Sensation intact when each side test unilaterally, but not intact with bilateral testing
Proprioception
awareness of the position and motion of individual joints
Stereognosis
ability to recognise and discriminate between objects using tactile input from the fingers to appreciate size, shape and texture without vision
Synergy
persistent stereotyped combination of movements, usually, but not always, used in the context of abnormal movement
Hemianopia
loss of half the visual field of one eye
Homonymous hemianopia
loss of half the visual field on the same side of each eye
Bitemporal hemianopia
loss of vision if the lateral field of each eye
Quadrantopia
loss of vision in one quarter field - upper, lower, medial or lateral quadrant
Visual inattention
attention to stimuli intact when eyes are tested individually, but disappears when tested at the same time
Asynergy
decomposition of normally smooth voluntary movement into a succession of mechanical and puppet like movements
Ataxia
errors in sequence and speed of components of each movement, marked incoordination and poor balance
combination of dysmetria, hypotonia and dyssynergy
Dysdiachokinesia
inability to perform rapid alternating movements
Dysmetria
inability to use the correct force and timing in executing a movement such that overshooting, post-pointing and rebound occur
