Hemiballismus

By
Due to how noticeable hemiballismus is, the examiner must be careful to pay attention to the rest of the neurological test in order to look for any other subtler symptoms that could provide information about the underlying cause. Large-amplitude movements that appear to be flailing or jerking typically affect both the arm and the leg. Patients may experience limb abrasions and bruises as well as chair-related sliding out of their chairs. Hemiballismus rises with heightened emotional states, as is typical of involuntary movements in general. The movements may become less vigorous and more similar to chorea when the patient is untroubled and relaxed.

Similar to Huntington's disease chorea, dopaminergic medication-induced chorea in Parkinson's disease can occasionally appear to become ballistic, but in these instances, the movements affect both sides of the body.

Hemiballismus is a hyperkinetic involuntary movement disorder characterized by sporadic, abrupt, violent, involuntary, flinging, or ballistic high amplitude movements involving the contralateral arm and leg. This disorder is brought on by dysfunction in the contralateral side's central nervous system. In addition to reviewing the aetiology, assessment, and management of hemiballismus, this activity also emphasises the importance of the interprofessional team in identifying and treating patients with the condition.

A stroke that affects the subthalamic nucleus, a small region located just below the basal ganglia, frequently results in hemiballismus. The subthalamic nucleus aids in the regulation of voluntary motion.

An affected side of the body has hemiballismus. The arm is more frequently impacted than the leg. Because the limb may flail out of control when someone tries to move it, hemiballismus can be momentarily incapacitating.

vectors by Freepick; graphic design by Vadot

Hemiballismus occasionally lasts for 6 to 8 weeks, but it typically goes away on its own after a few days. Antipsychotic medications may be able to reduce hemiballismus. Deep brain stimulation may be used if medications are ineffective. The basal ganglia are surgically implanted with tiny electrodes for this procedure. The electrodes can help relieve symptoms by sending tiny amounts of electricity to the region of the basal ganglia thought to be in charge of hemiballismus.

If the underlying disorder is treated, hemiballismus has a good prognosis with symptomatic and pharmaceutical treatment. An interdisciplinary team of primary care, specialists, and subspecialty clinicians (general neurology, neurosurgery, movement disorder, neuroimmunology specialist, genetics, oncology, infectious disease, rheumatology, palliative care, social workers, physical/occupational/speech therapists, behavioral health, and nursing coordinators) should collaborate in the case of noncurative aetiologies, such as those seen in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Reference:

Hawley, J. S., & Weiner, W. J. (2012). Hemiballismus: Current concepts and review. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 18(2), 125–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2011.08.015 ‌

Gonzalez-Usigli, H. A. (2022, February 8). Chorea, Athetosis, and Hemiballismus. Merck Manuals Consumer Version; Merck Manuals. https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/movement-disorders/chorea-athetosis-and-hemiballismus#:~:text=Hemiballismus%20is%20usually%20caused%20by,nucleus%20helps%20control%20voluntary%20movements. ‌

Franklyn Rocha Cabrero, & Orlando De Jesus. (2023, June 5). Hemiballismus. Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559127/#:~:text=Hemiballismus%20is%20a%20hyperkinetic%20involuntary,system%20of%20the%20contralateral%20side.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Neuro Developmental Disorders Intro

By
Image
Despite the fact that the term "neurodevelopmental disorders" has a long history, it was not included in prior editions of the ICD or the DSM. The term refers to a group of early-onset disorders that affect both cognitive and social communicative development, are multi-factorial in origin, have significant sex differences with males being more commonly affected than females, and have a chronic course with impairment lasting into adulthood. The term separates these diseases from other more prevalent childhood disorders, such as anxiety and mood disorders, which were assumed to be the result of some form of psychosocial stress and to have a more episodic history. Following extensive research, we divided these disorders into five major categories, each with its unique system: 1. Motor Disorders 2. Communication Disorders 3. Intelectual Developmental Disorders 4. Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 5. Specific Learning Disorder We st...
Read more

ADHD/ADD

By
Image
ADD, or attention deficit disorder, is an outdated term for the disorder known as ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADD was the name until 1987 when the word "hyperactivity" was added. Previously, a child would be diagnosed with ADD, either with or without hyperactivity, say in 1980. That child, however, would be diagnosed with ADHD beginning in the early 1990s. Diagnoses included one of three types from the early 1990s until recently. Inattentive type refers to children who only have inattentive symptoms. Children who were only hyperactive and impulsive were classified as hyperactive/impulsive. Children who had all three symptoms were identified as having the combined type. ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the resul...
Read more

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: GAD

By
Image
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is defined by persistent and excessive worry about a variety of things. People suffering from GAD may be overly concerned about money, health, family, work, or other issues. Individuals suffering from GAD have a difficult time controlling their anxiety. They may be overly concerned about actual events or may expect the worst even when there is no reason to be concerned. GAD is diagnosed when a person has three or more symptoms and finds it difficult to control worry on more days than not for at least six months. This distinguishes GAD from worry, which may be specific to a specific stressor or for a shorter period of time. Causes The exact cause of GAD is unknown, but it is likely that a combination of several factors is involved. According to research, these may include: Your parents' genes A history of stressful or traumatic experiences, such as domestic violence, child abuse, or bullying Painfu...
Read more

About Us