bradykinesia
Pronunciation: brad-ee-ki-NEE-zee-uh
Slowness of voluntary movement, characteristic of Parkinson's disease.
Full Definition
Bradykinesia is a cardinal motor feature of Parkinson's disease characterized by slowness in the initiation and execution of voluntary movements. This symptom manifests as reduced amplitude and speed of movements, difficulty with repetitive tasks, and progressive fatigue during sustained activities. Patients may exhibit masked facial expression, reduced arm swing while walking, and small handwriting (micrographia). Bradykinesia is distinct from muscle weakness and represents a dysfunction in the brain's motor planning circuits, particularly the basal ganglia.
Usage
Usage note: Often occurs with other parkinsonian features like rigidity and tremor.
In Context
- "The patient's bradykinesia was most evident during finger-tapping exercises." — movement disorder assessment
- "Levodopa therapy significantly improved the bradykinesia within two hours." — treatment response evaluation