What is senile chorea?

What is senile chorea?

Abstract. The term “senile chorea” is applied to cases of sporadic chorea with onset after the age of 50 years. The causes of senile chorea are numerous and include drugs, medications, cerebrovascular disease, genetic and sporadic neurodegenerations, and a range of systemic (hematological, metabolic, immune) disorders.

What are the causes of chorea?

What causes chorea?

  • AIDS.
  • genetic conditions, such as Huntington’s disease.
  • immune conditions, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
  • infection-related conditions, such as Sydenham’s chorea.
  • medications, including levodopa and neuroleptics.
  • metabolic or endocrine disorders, including hypoglycemia.

Is chorea related to Parkinson’s disease?

Chorea is a common symptom of Huntington’s disease and other less-common diseases. Chorea is also frequently observed in patients with Parkinson’s disease taking a medication called levodopa. In this case, it is referred to as “dyskinesias.”

Is chorea a tic?

Individual tics may resemble the individual movements of chorea, yet tics are repeated stereotyped movements, while chorea consists of movements that are unpredictably distributed through the body.

What is “senile chorea”?

The term “senile chorea” refers to sporadic, late-onset chorea without sudden onset or other evident cause. It was used originally to describe cases of generalized chorea resembling Huntington’s disease (HD) in which the age of onset was late (after age 50 years) and dementia or family history of chorea was lacking ( Critchley, 1931 ).

What is another name for chorea?

For other uses, see Chorea (disambiguation). Chorea (or choreia, occasionally) is an abnormal involuntary movement disorder, one of a group of neurological disorders called dyskinesias. The term chorea is derived from the Ancient Greek: χορεία (“dance”; see choreia ), as the quick movements of the feet or hands are comparable to dancing.

What is hemichorea?

The term hemichorea refers to chorea of one side of the body, such as chorea of one arm but not both (analogous to hemiballismus ). Chorea is characterized by brief, semi-directed, irregular movements that are not repetitive or rhythmic, but appear to flow from one muscle to the next.

Is chorea a hyperkinetic disorder?

Thus, chorea is said to be a hyperkinetic movement disorder. When chorea is serious, slight movements will become thrashing motions; this form of severe chorea is referred to as ballism, or ballismus. Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease and most common inherited cause of chorea.