III. Motor behavior

motor behavior

aspect of the psyche that includes impulses, motivations, wishes, drives, instincts, and cravings, as expressed by a person’s behavior or motor activity.

conation

mental processes that relate to wanting, intending, or trying to do something

Echopraxia

pathological imitation of movements of one person by another.

Catatonia and Postural abnormalities

seen in catatonic schizophrenia and some patients with brain disease, such as encephalitis

Catalepsy

general term for an immobile position that is constantly maintained.

Catatonic excitement

agitated, purposeless, motor activity, uninfluenced by external stimuli.

Catatonic stupor

markedly slowed motor activity, often to the point of immobility and seeming unawareness of surroundings.

Catatonic rigidity

voluntary assumption of a rigid posture held against all efforts to be moved.

Catatonic posturing

voluntary assumption of an inappropriate or bizarre posture, generally maintained for long periods.

Cerea flexibilitas (waxy flexibility)

condition in which a person can be molded into a position that is then maintained; when an examiner moves the person’s limb, the limb feels as if it were made of wax.

Akinesia

lack of physical movement, as in the extreme immobility of catatonic schizophrenia; may also occur as an extrapyramidal adverse effect of antipsychotic medication.

Negativism

motiveless resistance to all attempts to be moved or to all instructions.

Cataplexy

temporary loss of muscle tone and weakness precipitated by a variety of emotional states.

Stereotypy

repetitive fixed pattern of physical action or speech.

Mannerism

ingrained, habitual involuntary movement.

Automatism

automatic performance of an act or acts generally representing unconscious symbolic activity.

Command automatism

automatic following of suggestions (also automatic obedience)

Mutism

voicelessness without structural abnormalities.

Psychomotor agitation

excessive motor and cognitive acitivty, usually nonproductive and in response to inner tension.

Hyperactivity

restless, aggressive, destructive activity, often associated with some underlying brain pathology

Tic

involuntary, spasmodic motor movement.

Sleepwalking

motor activity during sleep.

Akathisia

subjective feeling of muscular tension secondary to antipsychotic or other medication, which can cause restlessness, pacing, repeated sitting and standing; can be mistaken for psychotic agitation.

Compulsion

uncontrollable impulse to perform an act repetitively.

Dipsomania

compulsion to drink alcohol.

Kleptomania

compulsion to steal.

Nymphomania

excessive and compulsive need for coitus in a woman.

Satyriasis

excessive and compulsive need for coitus in a man

Trichotillomania

compulsion to pull out hair.

Ritual

automatic compulsive activity, anxiety reducing in origin.

Ataxia

failure of muscle coordination; irregularity of muscle action.

Polyphagia

pathological overeating.

Tremor

rhythmical alteration in movement, which is usually faster than one beat a second; typically, tremors decrease during periods of relaxation and sleep and increase during periods of anger and increased tension

Hypoactivity

decreased motor and cognitive activity, as in psychomotor retardation; visible slowing of thought, speech, and movements.

Mimicry

simple, imitative motor activity of childhood.

Aggression

forceful, goal-directed action that may be verbal or physical; the motor counterpart of the affect of rage, anger or hostility.

Acting out

direct expression of an unconscious wish or impulse in action: living out unconscious fantasy impulsively in behavior.

floccillation

aimless picking usually at clothing or bedclothes, commonly seen in delirium.

Abulia

reduced impulse to act and think, associated with indifference about consequences of action; a result of neurological deficit.

Anergia

lack of energy (anergy)

Astasia abasia

inability to stand or walk in a normal manner, even though normal leg movements can be performed in a sitting or lying down position. The gait is bizarre and does not suggest a specific organic lesion; seen in conversion disorder.

Coprophagia

eating of filth or feces.

Dyskinesia

difficulty performing voluntary movements, as in extrapyramidal disorders.

Muscle rigidity

state in which the muscles remain immovable; seen in schizophrenia.

Twirling

a sign present in autistic children who continually rotate in the direction in which their head is turned.

Bradykinesia

slow motor activity with decreased normal, spontaneous movement.

Chorea

random and involuntary quick, jerky, purposeless movements.

Convulsion

involuntary, violent muscular contraction or spasm

Clonic convulsion

convulsion in which the muscles alternately contract and relax.

Tonic convulsion

convulsion in which the muscle contraction is sustained

Seizure

an attack or sudden onset of certain symptoms, such as convulsions, loss of consciousness, and psychic or sensory disturbances; seen in epilepsy and can be substance induced.

Generalized tonic-clonic seizure

generalized onset of tonic-clonic movements of the limbs, tongue biting, and incontinence followed by slow, gradual recovery of consciousness and cognition; also called grandmal seizure and psychomotor seizure

Simple partial seizure

localized ictal onset of seizure without altered consciousness.

Complex partial seizure

localized ictal onset of seizure with alterations in consciousness.

Dystonia

slow sustained contractions of the trunk or limbs; seen in medication-induced _______.

Amimia

inability to make gestures or comprehend those made by others.