OTHER MOVEMENT DISORDERS

What is Sydenham’s chorea?
Sydenham’s chorea is an acute, usually self-limiting disorder with an autoimmune basis, characterised by chorea and behavioural disturbances. Sydenham’s chorea commonly occurs 6 months after rheumatic fever but is now rare since the incidence of rheumatic fever has declined. It may also arise during pregnancy (chorea gravidarum).

What is Akathisia?
Akathisia, or motor restlessness, occurs in Parkinson’s disease and other disorders of the basal ganglia. A condition of motor restlessness in which there is a feeling of muscular quivering, an urge to move about constantly and an inability to sit still, a common extrapyramidal side effect of neuroleptic drugs.

What is hemiballism?
Hemiballismus manifests as a sudden and often violent involuntary flinging movement of a proximal limb, usually an arm. The condition usually develops acutely due to infarction of the contralateral subthalamic nucleus but occasionally develops subacutely or chronically due to other lesions of this nucleus.

What treatment options are there?

In some cases, the use of multiple drugs including tetrabenazine is needed for the treatment control of these movement disorders and/or assist in relieving some of the symptoms of these conditions. Treatment should begin with correction of underlying medical abnormalities or the removal the causative agent(s).

Remember, your doctor is the best source of information regarding you and your health. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions about your health, your condition or your medication.