apraxia
Pronunciation: ay-PRAK-see-uh
A neurological disorder characterised by the inability to perform learned, purposeful movements despite having the physical ability and willingness to do so.
Full Definition
Apraxia results from damage to the cortical regions responsible for motor planning, most commonly from stroke or traumatic brain injury. It is distinguished from paralysis (a motor execution failure) and from confusion (a cognitive failure): the patient understands the task and has adequate muscle strength but cannot organize the movement sequence. In rehabilitation editing, apraxia frequently appears in speech pathology contexts as 'apraxia of speech' (AOS), which must not be conflated with dysarthria, a separate motor speech disorder. Editors should verify which subtype is intended—ideomotor, ideational, limb-kinetic, or oral—before accepting generic use of the term.
Usage
Usage note: 'Dyspraxia' is sometimes used colloquially for a milder or developmental form; in formal clinical copy, 'apraxia' is preferred unless the source document specifies otherwise.
In Context
- "Limb apraxia was documented as a secondary impairment limiting the patient's ability to self-administer insulin." — Neurological rehabilitation assessment
- "The speech-language pathologist differentiated apraxia of speech from dysarthria before recommending an AAC device." — Speech pathology evaluation report