Apraxia

Not to be confused with ataxia or aphasia.
Apraxia
Apraxia is characterized by loss of the ability to execute or carry out learned purposeful movements.
SpecialtyNeurology, psychiatry
TreatmentOccupational therapy, physical therapy

Apraxia is a motor disorder caused by damage to the brain (specifically the posterior parietal cortex or corpus callosum[1]), which causes difficulty with motor planning to perform tasks or movements. The nature of the damage determines the disorder's severity, and the absence of sensory loss or paralysis helps to explain the level of difficulty.[2] Children may be born with apraxia; its cause is unknown, and symptoms are usually noticed in the early stages of development. Apraxia occurring later in life, known as acquired apraxia, is typically caused by traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, brain tumor, or other neurodegenerative disorders.[3] The multiple types of apraxia are categorized by the specific ability and/or body part affected.

The term "apraxia" comes from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) 'without' and πρᾶξις (praxis) 'action'.[4]

  1. ^ Zeidman, Lawrence A. (2020). Brain Science Under the Swastika: Ethical Violations, Resistance, and Victimization of Neuroscientists in Nazi Europe. Oxford University Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-19-872863-4.
  2. ^ ASHA
  3. ^ "Apraxia: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". medlineplus.gov. Retrieved 2019-08-07.
  4. ^ "Definition of APRAXIA". www.merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 2017-05-02.