Chorea

Excerpt

According to the Committee on Classification of the World Federation of Neurology, chorea is defined as "a state of excessive, spontaneous movements, irregularly timed, non-repetitive, randomly distributed and abrupt in character. These movements may vary in severity from restlessness with mild intermittent exaggeration of gesture and expression, fidgeting movements of the hands, unstable dance-like gait to a continuous flow of disabling, violent movements." Chorea, similar to choreography, refers to movements that resemble dancing.

Chorea usually is accompanied by athetosis and ballism. Athetosis is a slower form of chorea. The slowed movements have a writhing or twisting motion. Ballism is a very severe form of chorea where there is violent flinging of the extremities. The movements are involuntary and usually involve the limbs. Ballismus is usually unilateral but, rarely, may be bilateral.