dyskinesia
Pronunciation: dis-kih-NEE-zhuh
Abnormal, involuntary movements that can occur as side effects of long-term medication use or as symptoms of neurological disorders.
Full Definition
Dyskinesia refers to a range of involuntary movement disorders characterized by abnormal, uncontrolled muscle movements. In clinical neurology, this term is most commonly encountered in the context of tardive dyskinesia from antipsychotic medications or levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinson's disease treatment. These movements can affect any part of the body and significantly impact patient quality of life. Editors should note that dyskinesia is often confused with dystonia, though they represent distinct movement disorder categories.
Usage
Usage note: Often misspelled as 'dyskenesia' or confused with dystonia in medical writing.
In Context
- "The patient developed tardive dyskinesia after six months of haloperidol treatment." — clinical case report
- "Levodopa-induced dyskinesia remains a major complication in advanced Parkinson's disease management." — treatment protocol