Movement Disorders
Movement disorders are neurological syndromes in which there is either an excess of movement (hyperkinesia) or a paucity of voluntary and involuntary movements (hypokinesia), unrelated to weakness or spasticity. Movement disorders are traditionally linked to basal ganglia or extrapyramidal diseases but can also involve the cerebellum. Movement disorders are conventionally divided into two major categories: hyperkinetic and hypokinetic.
Hyperkinetic movement disorders refer to dyskinesia, or excessive, often repetitive, involuntary movements that intrude upon the normal flow of motor activity.
Hypokinetic movement disorders refer to akinesia (lack of movement), hypokinesia (reduced amplitude of movements), bradykinesia (slow movement), and rigidity. Parkinson’s disease is an example of a hypokinetic movement disorder.
In most movement disorders, speech can be affected. The resulting speech movement disorder can be classified as a hyperkinetic or hypokinetic dysarthria. In some speech movement disorders an ataxic dysarthria can also be present.
One of the best places for information about specific movement disorders is the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society website:
https://www.movementdisorders.org/MDS/About/Movement-Disorder-Overviews.htm
This website lists information on a wide spectrum of disorders including the following:
- Parkinson's disease and Parkinsonism
- Dystonia
- Chorea and Huntington's disease
- Ataxia
- Tremor and essential tremor
- Myoclonus and startle
- Tics and Tourette syndrome
- Restless legs syndrome
- Gait disorders
- Spasticity
- Stiff Person Spectrum Disorder
The above website also includes downloadable patient handouts on various topics such as :
- Ataxia
- Botulinum Toxin
- Cognitive Impairment and Behavioral Problems in Parkinson's Disease
- Corticobasal Degeneration
- Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease
- Depression, Anxiety and Apathy in Parkinson's Disease
- Dystonia
- Essential Tremor
- Exercise for Parkinson's Disease
- Gait Disturbances and Freezing in Parkinson's Disease
- Hereditary Ataxia
- Huntington's Disease
- Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease
- Infusion Therapies for Parkinson's Disease
- Multiple System Atrophy (MSA)
- Orthostatic Hypotension in Parkinson's Disease
- Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
- Sleep Problems in Parkinson's Disease
- Surgical Treatments for Essential Tremor
- Tics and Tourette Syndrome
The website also includes many movement disorders rating scales for clinicians, including the primary scale that is used with individuals with Parkinsonism (Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale -UPDRS):
docs/MDS-UPDRS_English_FINAL_Updated_August2019.pdf
- Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease - Autonomic Dysfunction (SCOPA-AUT)
- Global Assessment Scale for Wilson's Disease (GAS for WD)
- Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease – Diary Card (SCOPA-DC)
- Global Dystonia Severity Rating Scale (GDS)
- Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease – Psychiatric Complications (SCOPA-PC)
- Modified Bradykinesia Rating Scale (MBRS)
- Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease – Psychosocial Functioning (SCOPA-PS)
- Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire (NMSQ)
- Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease – Sleep (SCOPA-Sleep; SCOPA-S)
- Non-Motor Symptoms Scale for Parkinson’s Disease (NMSS)
- Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-COGnition (SCOPA-COG)
- PKAN Disease Rating Scale (PKAN-DRS)
- Short Parkinson's Evaluation Scale (SPES)/Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson’s Disease – Motor Function (SPES/SCOPA – Motor)
- Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Clinical Deficits Scale (PSP-CDS)
- UFMG Sydenham's Chorea Rating Scale (USCRS)
- Quality of Life in Essential Tremor Questionnaire (QUEST)
- Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale (UDysRS)
- Rating Scale for Psychogenic Movement Disorders (PMD)
- Unified Dystonia Rating Scale (UDRS)
- Rush Dyskinesia Rating Scale (RDRS)
- Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS)
- Rush Video-Based Tic Rating Scale