L2 - Motor Disorders Flashcards
At rest, what proportion of metabolic energy does the brain require?
1/3
What is the cost of loss of employment and care for those affected by strokes per year? (globally?)
€27 million
What percentage of people have had/will have a stroke at some point in their lifetime?
15-20%
What is kinesis?
Movement without a specific goal in mind - undirected movement
What is akinesia?
Disruption of normal movement
What is dyskinesia?
Same as akinesia; disruption of normal movement, but akinesia’s refer to loss of normal posture (hypo/lack of movement) where dyskinesia’s refer to loss of normal movements (typically hyper/too much movement)
What is hyperkinesia?
Excessive or involuntary movement
What is hypokinesia?
Lack of movement
What is a taxis?
Movement towards a goal; a directed movement
What is ataxia?
Loss of coordination when trying targeted movements
e.g. able to pick up a cup, but not when instructed to.
What is spasticity?
The continuous contraction of muscles which causes stiffness, tightness and interference with gait, speech or movement.
Sitting, almost counter-intuitively, involves what?
Maintenance and active control of posture
What are the two main categories of movement disorders?
Jerky or non-jerky movements
What are two examples of postural disorders?
Dystonia (disruption of muscle tone)
Rigidity
What are two types of jerky movement disorders?
Chorea
Tics
What are two types of non-jerky movement disorders?
Dystonia
Tremor
What allows clinicians to identify the location of damage in the motor system hierarchy?
Differences in the symptoms that result from damages at different levels of the motor system hierarchy
Clinicians begin to recognise clusters of symptoms associated with specific disorders.
Name 4 scales used by clinicians to quantify how bad a disorder is once it has been diagnosed.
Barthel index
Fugl-Meyer
Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS)
SARA
Describe the Barthel Index
A scale used to quantify how bad general, non-specific motor symptoms are.
- assesssesimpact of disease on the patient
- 3/4 point scale (no functioning, to reasonable functioning)
- 4 point scale for mobility
Crude scale - takes a lot to move from one point to the next in terms of rehab
Describe the Fugl-Meyer scale.
A scale used to quantify how bad specific diseases are - namely, strokes.
- Assesses patients’ ability to make normal movements.
- measures reflexes, movements and ability to pick up a variety of props/objects.
- very crude scoring system, but rich picture of extent of impairment due to variety of measures
Describe the MDS-UDPRS
Set of 50 questions. Assesses features of motor abilities, as well as the functional impact of the disorder (PD), such as cognition, sleep and impact on family members.
Describe the SARA scale for ataxia.
Ataxia is typically associated with the cerebellum.
Small set of 7/8 different behaviours - finger chasing, gait, stance, sitting, speech disturbance, etc.
0-8, so slightly less crude, as it is easier to move up and down the scale.
What are alpha motor neurons sometimes called, and why?
Final common pathway between the CNS and muscles. Because alpha motor neurons innervate the muscles.
Features of locomotion occur where?
Spinal level, rather than CNS level - this frees up processing power for higher level, voluntary independent skillful actions.
Describe the effects of damage to alpha motor neurons.
Typically, a small cluster of muscles will be severely affected, potentially an inability to move or activate them.
e.g. polio results in loss of control of one leg
Describe the general symptoms of lower motor neuron disorders.
Atrophy
Weakness
Hypotonia