She Founds Out About Her Adiadochokinesia

Dysdiadochokinesis is the clinical term for an inability to perform rapidly alternating movements. The condition is a key sign of many cerebral disorders, including multiple sclerosis and neocerebellar syndrome, and is caused by lesions in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that governs motor control. A person with dysdiadochokinesia will not be able to perform rapid alternate movements like winding a watch or moving the tongue quickly from one side of the mouth to the other.It is thought to be caused by the inability to switch on and switch off antagonising muscle groups in a coordinated fashion due to hypotonia, secondary to the central lesion. Dysdiadochokinesia is also seen in Friedreich's ataxia and multiple sclerosis, as a cerebellar symptom including ataxia, intention tremor and dysarthria. It is also a feature of ataxic dysarthria.Performing alternating movements steadily and quickly requires significant cerebellum coordination. As a result, patients with lesions or other cerebellar disorders can develop dysdiadochokinesia because this coordination is disturbed. The affected muscles can weaken and tire more easily and the patient can seem uncoordinated and clumsy, a condition known as ataxia.Abnormalities in dysdiadochokinesia can be seen in the upper extremity, lower extremity and in speech. The deficits become visible in the rate of alternation, the completeness of the sequence, and in the variation in amplitude involving both motor coordination and sequencing. Average rate can be used as a measure of performance when testing for dysdiadochokinesia. It is demonstrated clinically by asking the patient to tap the palm of one hand with the fingers of the other, then rapidly turn over the fingers and tap the palm with the back of them, repeatedly. This movement is known as a pronation/supination test of the upper extremity. A simpler method using this same concept is to ask the patient to demonstrate the movement of trying a doorknob or screwing in a light bulb. When testing for this condition in legs ask the patient to tap your hand as quickly as possible with the ball of each foot in turn. Movements tend to be slow or awkward. The feet normally perform less well than the hands


She suffer from a form of dysdiadochokinesia caused by another condition, her physician begin by treating that underlying condition first. For example, dysdiadochokinesia caused by a metabolic disorder may be treated with medications and a controlled diet. Dysdiadochokinesia associated with a vitamin deficiency may be treated with vitamin therapy.There are also a number drugs and therapies available to help treat gait and swallowing disorders. The physical therapist assigned to your patient care team may suggest exercises to help strengthen muscles. An occupational therapist may also fit you for special equipment to assist in walking and performing other activities of daily life

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