Apraxia


Description

Apraxia is a neurological disorder that is known as the inability to perform skilled (familiar) movements despite having the desire and physical ability to do these movements. This happens because the patient can’t remember the steps or do the sequence of movements needed to do the needed movement even if it’s a simple one. Different types of apraxia may be classified according to the affected part or movement, and they can occur alone or together. It affects more than 50% of stroke patients and about 90% of dementia patients.

Symptoms

Symptoms differ according to the type of apraxia and may include :

Inability to make facial movements (ex: licking lips, whistling, coughing, winking)
Inability to make precise movements with arms and legs
Inability to do the right movement in response to verbal command
Inability to do tasks with sequential steps (ex: Dressing, Eating, Bathing)
Difficulty moving the eyes
Difficulty moving the mouth while speaking
Inability to draw, copy, or construct simple figures
Visit a Neurologist to be diagnosed and treated properly, If you or one of your family have any of these symptoms


Causes

This condition is caused due to damage in specific parts of the brain, this damage may be caused by :

Stroke
Traumatic head injury
Brain tumor
Alzheimer
Schizophrenia
Dementia
Multiple sclerosis
Parkinsonism

Diagnostics

Diagnosis depends on symptoms, medical history, and physical examination to a great extent. The physician should assess the patient’s ability to speak and move. Other diagnostic tools can be used to examine the presence of brain damage and its cause such as :

Magnetic resonance imaging (a procedure in which magnetic fields are used to produce an image of the brain).
Positron emission tomography (a procedure that uses radioactive substances during producing an image of the brain).


Treatment

There’re no specific medications used to treat this condition, but the cause of this condition should be treated first. Other therapies are used such as :

Speech therapy : Treatment of people with speech and communication problems by training, to help them to speak more clearly.
Physical therapy : Treatment through specific exercises and machines to help people with movement disorders to move better.
Occupational therapy : Treatment that helps patients to improve their motor skills and adapt to their illness by teaching them to do the tasks that are important to their daily lives through special exercises.

Everything You Need To Know Regarding Your Health!

Get the answers you need, all in one place. Explore expert-written blogs, browse our extensive FAQs for quick answers to common concerns, or use our Symptom Checker for preliminary insights.
Need in-depth details? Our Disease Directory provides comprehensive information to help you understand conditions better.
Whatever you're looking for, we’re here to support your health journey, seamlessly and effortlessly.

Check Our Medical Library! →

100+ Expert

Reviewed Blogs & Medical Guidelines

80+ Symptoms

and Diseases Explained