Choreoathetosis | |
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Specialty | Neurology |
Choreoathetosis is the occurrence of involuntary movements in a combination of chorea (irregular migrating contractions) and athetosis (twisting and writhing).
It is caused by many different diseases and agents. It is a symptom of several diseases, including GLUT1 deficiency syndrome, Lesch–Nyhan syndrome, phenylketonuria, and Huntington disease and can be a feature of kernicterus (rapidly increasing unconjugated bilirubin that cross the blood-brain-barrier in infants).
Choreoathetosis is also a common presentation of dyskinesia as a side effect of levodopa-carbidopa in the treatment of Parkinson disease.[1]
The use of crack cocaine or amphetamines can result in conditions nicknamed crack dancing, or tweaking respectively, described as choreoathetoid.[2]