Guide To The Types Of Chorea

Chorea is a movement disorder characterized by unpredictable, involuntary body movements due to the overactivity of a neurotransmitter known as dopamine in the parts of the brain responsible for movement. This abnormality is often associated with another underlying issue, like immune system conditions, genetic conditions, AIDS, infection-related conditions, endocrine disorders, and pregnancy. Symptoms of chorea can be specific to what is causing it and may include the inability to move the hands properly, involuntary sticking out of the tongue, shoulder shrugs, pelvic thrusts, teeth grinding, seizures, muscle weakness, sensation loss, abnormal gait, and slurred speech. Diagnosis of chorea is made through a physical examination, blood testing, and MRI scans of the brain and body. Treatment of chorea varies depending on its underlying cause and may include medications, surgery, and home care.

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Hemiballismus

Hemiballismus is a type of chorea that primarily affects one side of the body with more severe involuntary movements of the arm or legs than those in individuals affected by other forms of chorea. Hemiballismus is a result of reduced activity of the basal ganglia subthalamic nucleus or certain metabolic abnormalities in rare cases. A previous stroke, traumatic brain injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, nonketotic hyperglycemia, neoplasms, vascular malformations, tuberculomas, demyelinating plaques, and HIV infection complications can cause this reduced activity. Hemiballismus causes an individual to have involuntary and violent flinging extremity motions. These motions have amplitudes that are wide and tend to be continuous. These movements affect proximal or distal muscles located on one side of a patient's body. The affected individual's legs and arms often move together, and facial muscles can also be involved. These movements tend to become more severe when the patient performs physical activities.

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Sydenham's Chorea

Sydenham's chorea is a type of chorea that occurs following a rheumatic fever or streptococcal infection. The pathophysiology of Sydenham's chorea is thought to involve the action of antibodies in the patient's immune system that has been induced by the streptococcus infection. This type of chorea is most common among adolescents and children. Sydenham's chorea can disrupt normal voluntary movements in an affected individual, which makes it challenging to perform basic everyday tasks like getting dressed and feeding oneself. Patients tend to experience specific symptoms such as abnormal gait, reduced verbal fluency, compulsions, obsessions, diminished muscle tone, slurred speech, dropping items frequently, spilling things frequently, dysfunction of the hands, and harlequin tongue. There is no biological or serological marker of this type of chorea, so diagnosis is made based upon a patient's clinical features. Some Sydenham's chorea patients may experience spontaneous remission of their symptoms, while others experience symptoms persistently.

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