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Apraxia
Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Apraxiais not the name you expected.
Disorder Subdivisions
- Apraxia, Oculomotor
- Apraxia, Classic
- Apraxia, Ideokinetic
- Apraxia, Ideomotor
- Apraxia, Motor
- Apraxia, Ideational
- Apraxia, Buccofacial
- Apraxia, Constructional
General Discussion
Apraxia is a neurological disorder characterized by the inability to perform learned (familiar) movements on command, even though the command is understood and there is a willingness to perform the movement. Both the desire and the capacity to move are present but the person simply cannot execute the act.
Patients with apraxia cannot use tools or perform such acts as tying shoelaces or button shirts etc. The requirements of daily living are difficult to meet. Patients whose ability to speak is interrupted (aphasia) but who are unaffected by apraxia are able to live a relatively normal life; those with significant apraxia are almost invariably dependent.
Apraxia comes in several different forms:
Limb-kinetic apraxia is the inability to make precise or exact movements with a finger, an arm or a leg. An example is the inability to use a screwdriver notwithstanding that the person affected understands what is to be done and has done it in the past.
Ideomotor apraxia is the inability to carry out a command from the brain to mimic limb or head movements performed or suggested by others.
Conceptual apraxia is much like ideomotor ataxia but infers a more profound malfunctioning in which the function of tools is no longer understood.
Ideational apraxia is the inability to create a plan for a specific movement.
Buccofacial apraxia, (sometimes called facial-oral apraxia) is the inability to coordinate and carry out facial and lip movements such as whistling, winking, coughing etc on command. This form includes verbal or speech developmental apraxia, perhaps the most common form of the disorder.
Constructional apraxia affects the person’s ability to draw or copy simple diagrams or to construct simple figures.
Oculomotor apraxia is a condition in which patients find it difficult to move their eyes.
Apraxia is believed to be caused by a lesion in the neural pathways of the brain that contain the learned patterns of movement. It is often a symptom of neurological, metabolic, or other disorders that can involve the brain.
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Resources
National Aphasia Association
7 Dey St.
Suite 600
New York
NY
10007
USA
Tel: (212)267-2814
Fax: (212)267-2812
800: (800)922-4622
naa@aphasia.org
http://www.aphasia.org
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
31 Center Drive
8A07
Bethesda
MD
20892-2540
Tel: (301)496-5751
Fax: (301)402-2186
800: (800)352-9424
braininfo@ninds.nih.gov
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay
WI
54301-1243
USA
Tel: (920)336-5333
Fax: (920)339-0995
800: (877)336-5333
mums@netnet.net
http://www.netnet.net/mums/
For a Complete Report:
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org
Last Updated: 4/28/2008
Copyright 1990, 1995, 2003 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
WebMD Medical Reference from the National Organization of Rare Disorders
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