People who have dyskinetic cerebral palsy experience involuntary movements that are difficult to control. These movements can be slow, twisting and writhing, or rapid and jerky, and can impact movement in the hands, arms, feet, legs and even the face or tongue. Dyskinesia can be especially noticeable when a person attempts to move and it can also vary from day to day or even within the same day, where a person might have tight muscle tone at one point then loose the next.
Dyskinetic cerebral palsy is often associated with damage to the parts of the brain called the basal ganglia. The basil ganglia are a group of structures located deep within the brain that are responsible for voluntary motor control, as well as other important functions associated with executive functions, emotions, and behavior.
There are three main types of dyskinesia: Dystonia, Chorea, and Athetosis
Dystonia: Is involuntary repetitive, sustained or intermittent muscle contractions that cause twisting, awkward or abnormal postures. These abnormal movements are often triggered by voluntary attempts to move or by being moved. These movements can be rapid or slow and they occur more frequently when someone is tired, anxious, or emotional. Dystonia can be painful and pain may make the movements increase. These movements decrease during sleep.
Athetosis: Is a slow, continuous, involuntary, writhing movement that prevents the ability to maintain a stable posture. Individuals with athetosis appear restless and constantly moving. These movements usually affect the hands, arms, legs and feet, but they can affect the whole body. Athetosis also impacts muscle tone, meaning that sometimes the individual will be floppy (hypotonic) while other times they will be constantly moving. Athetosis can also impact the muscles of the face, lips and tongue, vocal cords and breathing. This means that speech, eating and drinking can all be impacted by athetosis. As with the other movement disorders, stress can make it worse and the symptoms lesson when the individual is at rest or and can disappear when asleep.
Chorea: Is ongoing random-appearing sequence of one or more irregular, brief, involuntary movements or movement fragments. People with chorea sometimes looks fidgety or clumsy while others may gave large, amplified movements often it is said they look like they are dancing. Chorea can affect speech and swallowing. Movements will worsen with attempts to move during stress or anxiety and reduce when asleep.
Chorea may occur with Athetosis, and this is known as choreoathetosis. Sometimes all three movement disorders occur together to make it very difficult for providers to diagnose and treat.
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