Neurology, Addiction and Psychiatry Conference

Movement disorders is a term applied to an assemblage of neurological conditions that negatively affect movement, both voluntary and involuntary. These generally include irregular movements, such as tremors, stiffness, jerky or repeated motions, and clummi ness in coordinating actions. Examples of movement disorders are Parkinson's disease, dystonia, essential tremor, Huntington's disease, and Tourette syndrome. All of the above are due to impairment of central nervous system, usually motor-control parts of the brain like basal ganglia and cerebellum.

The main expressions of movement disorders depend upon the disease but may include a variety of muscle rigidity, tremors, bradykinesia (slowing of movement), impaired balance, and postural stability. For example, resting tremors, muscle stiffness, and bradykinesia are the main features of Parkinson's disease. Dystonia leads to sustained contractions of muscles, causing twisting movements and abnormal postures. The most common movement disorder is characterized by rhythmic shaking, characteristic of essential tremor. It may include hands and head.

A wide range of causes such as genetic mutations, neurodegeneration, and brain injuries, among others can produce movement disorders. For instance, Parkinson's disease is a disorder caused by the degeneration of neurons producing dopamine in the brain, whereas Huntington's is a genetic disorder that leads to the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Such other disorders may result from the long-term use of certain drugs affecting the dopamine receptors, like drug-induced dyskinesia.

Diagnosis of movement disorders, most commonly, involves clinical examination, neurological testing, and imaging studies such as MRI or CT scan that helps to determine the brain structure and the exclusion of other diseases. Genetics tests are warranted when a hereditary element is suspected, for instance in Huntington's disease.

Since most of these disorders have no cure, there are treatments that aid these patients in living out their lives well by appropriately managing the condition. Most neurotransmitter imbalances, for instance, are targeted by prescription drugs that replace dopamine found in individuals suffering from Parkinson's disease. Other therapies include deep brain stimulation, a surgery that involves the implantation of electrodes into the brain to modulate abnormal movement, as well as botulinum toxin injections, commonly referred to as Botox, which are used in the treatment of dystonia.

In addition to medical care, the restoration of mobility and function may be best sustained by physical and occupational therapy. Among the neurorehabilitation programs aimed at improvement of movement and balance, the enhancement of quality of life in movement disorder patients appears most plausible.

Current research into the causes and mechanisms of movement disorders is leading to new therapies, hoping not only for a slowing of disease progression but also restoration of motor function in afflicted individuals, thus brain health.