Basal Ganglia Pathologies

akinesia

inability to initiate movement; associated with fixed postures

athetosis

slow, involuntary, writhing, twisting, “wormlike” movements; frequently greater involvement in distal UEs

bradykinesia

decreased amplitude and velocity of voluntary movement

chorea

involuntary, rapid, irregular, jerky movements involving multiple joints; most apparent in UEs

choreathetosis

movement disorder with features of both chorea and athetosis

dystonia

sustained involuntary contractions of agonist and antagonist muscles

hemiballismus

large amplitude sudden, violent, flailing motions of the arm and leg of one side of the body

hyperkinesis

abnormally increased muscle activity or movement

hypokinesis

decreased motor response especially to a specific stimulus

lead-pipe rigidity

uniform, constant resistance as limb is moved

cogwheel rigidity

series of brief relaxations or “catches” as limb is passively moved

resting tremor

involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movement observed at rest