Hyperkinesis is a medical term describing increased or excessive (hyper) muscle or motor activity (kinesis). Hyperkinesia is part of a dichotomous medical categorization of movement abnormalities in which there is abnormal and uncontrollable or unwanted movement, such as observed in Huntington’s disease. The other dichotomized category is hypokinesis (decreased muscle movement), which describes a loss of voluntary and automatic movement and increased motor stiffness or rigidity, such as in Parkinson’s disease. This entry offers an overview of hyperkinetic disorders and further examines their classification, assessment, and treatment.

Hyperkinetic Disorders

Hyperkinetic disorders are a heterogenous category of abnormal movements and affect about 20% of the general population. They can be classified into six main movement phenotypes: (1) tremors, (2) chorea, (3) tics, (4) myoclonus, (5) dystonia, and (6) ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles