ideational apraxia
Impaired ability to perform complex, sequential motor tasks due to loss of the overall plan or concept of the action.
Full Definition
Ideational apraxia is a higher-order motor planning disorder characterized by the inability to carry out complex, multi-step motor sequences despite preserved individual motor components. Patients lose the conceptual knowledge of how tools are used and how actions should be sequenced, often demonstrating tool misuse or inappropriate action sequences. This condition typically results from left hemisphere parietal lobe lesions, particularly affecting the supramarginal and angular gyri. Unlike ideomotor apraxia, the deficit lies in the conceptual understanding of actions rather than in the translation from concept to movement.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish clearly from ideomotor apraxia in clinical documentation.
In Context
- "Ideational apraxia was evident when the patient attempted to make coffee but used the spoon to stir before adding ingredients." — Occupational therapy assessment
- "The rehabilitation plan addressed ideational apraxia through step-by-step task breakdown and visual cues." — Treatment protocol