Synonyms in a broader sense
movement coordination disorders, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, dystonia, Tourette’s disease, extrapyramidal disorders
Introduction
This group of clinical pictures includes, for example, the extrapyramidal motor system, which is no longer sufficiently functional. Its task is to coordinate the movements that the body has to perform. The force, direction and speed of the movements are regulated. The extrapyramidal system does not directly trigger the movements, but merely influences them and ensures uniform, fluid movement sequences.
- Morbus Parkinson
- Chorea Huntington
- Dystonia or the
- Tourette’s syndrome.
Cause
The extrapyramidal syndrome refers to a collection of symptoms as they occur in various neurological diseases, e.g. Huntington’s chorea or Parkinson’s disease. The extrapyramidal system refers to nerve fibers that lie outside the main movement path (technical term: pyramidal path) and help to control our movements. Conscious movements are carried out via the pyramidal tract.
The extrapyramidal motion system is responsible for fine adjustment and influences the pyramidal trajectory. It is responsible for the supporting and holding function and muscle tension (technical term tonus) as well as for the movements of the limbs close to the trunk. The extra-pyramidal system and the main movement path work closely together.
Only in this way is movement possible at all and only in this way is targeted movement and fine motor skills possible. The extrapyramidal syndrome describes disorders within the extrapyramidal system that affect these areas. The exact disorder varies depending on the clinical picture.
In most cases, nerve cells are destroyed for various reasons (e.g. also in Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s chorea), other possible causes can be the consequence of taking toxic substances or medication or due to a reduced blood flow in the brain (such as a stroke), but there may also be a genetic cause for certain diseases. Important parts within the circuitry for the movement sequence are missing. In Parkinson’s disease, activating aspects are missing, resulting in reduced movement (technical term hypokinesia), in Huntington’s disease, inhibiting aspects are missing, resulting in excess movement (technical term hyperkinesia).
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