Akinesia

Impaired body movement; without movement (or without much movement). Akinesia is a term used in neurology to denote the absence (or poverty) of movement. The word "akinetic" comes from the prefix "a-" meaning "without" + the Greek word "kinesis" meaning motion = without motion. For example, a person in coma is akinetic. For another example, akinetic mutism is a condition in which a person is both mute and akinetic. A textbook on clinical neurology observes that a person with akinetic mutism has "sleep-waking cycles but, when apparently awake, with eyes open, lies mute. immobile and unresponsive."

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1. Absence or loss of the power of voluntary movement, due to an extrapyramidal disorder. 2. Obsolete term denoting the postsystolic interval of rest of the heart. 3. A neurosis accompanied by paretic symptoms. SYN: akinesis. [G. a- priv. + kinesis, movement]

- a. algera a condition marked by severe generalized pain produced by any movement; often of psychogenic origin. [G. algos, pain]

- a. amnestica loss of muscular power from disuse.

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aki·ne·sia .ā-kī-'nē-zh(ē-)ə n loss or impairment of voluntary activity (as of a muscle)

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n.

a loss of normal muscular tonicity or responsiveness. Akinetic rigid syndrome is used to describe such conditions as parkinsonism and progressive supranuclear palsy. In akinetic epilepsy there is a sudden loss of muscular tonicity, making the patient fall with momentary loss of consciousness. Akinetic mutism is a state of complete physical unresponsiveness although the patient's eyes remain open and appear to follow movements. It is a consequence of damage to the base of the brain.

• akinetic adj.

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aki·ne·sia (a″kĭ-neґzhə) [a-¹ + kinesi- + -ia] 1. absence, poverty, or lack of control of voluntary muscle movements. 2. the temporary paralysis of a muscle by the injection of procaine. akinetic adj