hemiballismus
Uncontrolled limb flinging
Hemiballismus is a movement disorder characterized by violent, flailing movements of one side of the body.
The involuntary motions typically affect the arm and leg on the same side, resembling wild throwing or kicking.
It usually results from damage to a specific brain structure called the subthalamic nucleus, often from stroke.
The patient's hemiballismus made it impossible for her to feed herself.
Involuntary jerking muscle disorder
- dystoniaMovement disorder causing postures
- myoclonusSudden brief muscle jerks
- tremorInvoluntary rhythmic shaking
- dyskinesiaAbnormal involuntary muscle activity
Uncontrolled limb movement
- jerkingAbrupt, spasmodic movement
- involuntaryNot under conscious control
- unilateralAffecting one side only
- proximalSituated nearest the origin
limb · violent · wild · thrashing · uncontrolled · flinging · swinging · arm
Subcortical motor-control nuclei
- thalamusBrain's signal switchboard
- motor cortexBrain region controlling movement
- neural circuitsInterconnected signaling cell pathways
- cerebral hemisphereLateral brain division
Sudden brain blood blockage
- infarctionTissue necrosis from ischemia
- hemorrhageProfuse discharge of blood
- lesionArea of pathological change
- hyperglycemiaAbnormally high blood glucose
diabetes · tumor · infection · autoimmune · vascular · ischemia · hypoglycemia · AIDS
Dopamine-blocking psychiatric medication
- antipsychoticDrug treating psychosis
- deep brain stimulationImplanted electrodes modulating neural circuits
- neurolepticPsychiatric medication blocking dopamine
- clonazepamAnti-seizure benzodiazepine drug
chorea
Involuntary jerking muscle disorder
flailing
Uncontrolled limb movement
- jerkingAbrupt, spasmodic movement
- involuntaryNot under conscious control
- unilateralAffecting one side only
proximal · limb · violent · wild · thrashing · uncontrolled · flinging · swinging · arm · leg
basal ganglia
Subcortical motor-control nuclei
- thalamusBrain's signal switchboard
- motor cortexBrain region controlling movement
- neural circuitsInterconnected signaling cell pathways
cerebral hemisphere · contralateral · ipsilateral · striatum
stroke
Sudden brain blood blockage
- infarctionTissue necrosis from ischemia
- hemorrhageProfuse discharge of blood
- lesionArea of pathological change
hyperglycemia · diabetes · tumor · infection · autoimmune · vascular · ischemia · hypoglycemia · AIDS · metastasis
haloperidol
Dopamine-blocking psychiatric medication
- antipsychoticDrug treating psychosis
- deep brain stimulationImplanted electrodes modulating neural circuits
- neurolepticPsychiatric medication blocking dopamine
- movement disorderstremor, dystonia, chorea, tremors, bradykinesia
- choreas
hemiballismusbradykinesia
Pathological movement slowness
rigidity · parkinsonism · catatonia · paralysis · paresis