brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Chorea, Athetosis, and Hemiballismus
Introduction
Choreais characterized by repetitive, brief, irregular, somewhat rapid involuntary movements that start in one part of the body and move abruptly, unpredictably, and often continuously to another part. Chorea typically involves the face, mouth, trunk, and limbs.Athetosisis a continuous stream of slow, flowing, writhing involuntary movements. It usually affects the hands and feet.Hemiballismusis a type of chorea, usually involving violent, involuntary flinging of one arm and/or one leg. Movements are wider and more intense than chorea. Chorea and athetosis are usually symptoms of another disorder, although chorea may develop on its own in older people or in pregnant women. Chorea and athetosis can occur together, usually causing writhing, dancelike movements. Hemiballismus affects a limb (the arm more often than the leg) on one side of the body, causing it to fling wildly. For chorea and athetosis, treating the cause may help, as may antipsychotic drugs. (See also Overview of Movement Disorders .) Chorea and athetosis, which may occur together as choreoathetosis, are not disorders. Rather, they are symptoms that can result from several very different disorders. 