athetosis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No. Parkinson's disease primarily causes tremor at rest, rigidity, and slowness of movement (bradykinesia). Athetosis involves slow, writhing, involuntary movements and is often seen in different conditions like cerebral palsy or after certain brain injuries.

There is no outright cure for athetosis, as it results from brain damage. However, symptoms can often be managed with medications (like muscle relaxants), botulinum toxin injections, deep brain stimulation, and extensive physical/occupational therapy to improve function.

Athetosis is typically associated with damage to the basal ganglia, particularly the putamen and globus pallidus. These are deep brain structures involved in regulating movement coordination and suppressing unwanted motions.

Both are hyperkinetic disorders. Chorea involves brief, irregular, darting movements that appear to flow from one muscle to another ('dance-like'). Athetosis consists of slower, twisting, writhing movements, often in a more continuous pattern. They can co-exist, termed 'choreoathetosis'.

A neurological condition characterized by slow, involuntary, writhing movements of the fingers, hands, toes, and feet.

Athetosis is usually technical (medical) in register.

Athetosis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌæθɪˈtəʊsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌæθɪˈtoʊsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.