Akinetic mutism is a medical condition where patients tend neither to move (akinesia) nor speak (mutism). Akinetic mutism was first described in 1941 as a mental state where patients lack the ability to move or speak.[1] However, their eyes may follow their observer or be diverted by sound.[1] Patients lack most motor functions such as speech, facial expressions, and gestures, but demonstrate apparent alertness.[2] They exhibit reduced activity and slowness, and can speak in whispered monosyllables.[1][3] Patients often show visual fixation on their examiner, move their eyes in response to an auditory stimulus, or move after often repeated commands.[1][2] Patients with akinetic mutism are not paralyzed, but lack the will to move.[1] Many patients describe that as soon as they "will" or attempt a movement, a "counter-will" or "resistance" rises up to meet them.[4]
^ abcdeCairns, H; R. C. Oldfield; J.B. Pennybacker; D. Whitteridge (1941). "Akinetic mutism with an epidermoid cyst of the 3rd ventricle". Brain. 64 (4): 273–290. doi:10.1093/brain/64.4.273.
^ abOtto, Anke; Inga Zerr; Maria Lantsch (1998). "Akinetic mutism as a classification criterion for the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease". Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry. 64 (4): 524–528. doi:10.1136/jnnp.64.4.524. PMC 2170038. PMID 9576547.
^Cite error: The named reference Nagaratnam, mutism following stroke was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Sacks, Oliver (1973). Awakenings. United States: Vintage Books. p. 7.
pain, hunger, or thirst. Akineticmutism has been associated with structural damage in a variety of brain areas. Akineticmutism and catatonia may both...
spectrum of diminished motivation, with apathy being less extreme and akineticmutism being more extreme than abulia. The condition was originally considered...
conscious awareness". The conditions of akineticmutism and negative symptoms are closely related. In akineticmutism, a stroke or other lesion to the anterior...
extreme spectrum of diminished motivation, with abulia in the middle and akineticmutism being more extreme than both apathy and abulia. The apathetic may lack...
from TBI, atomoxetine was found to be effective in the treatment of akineticmutism following subarachnoid hemorrhage in a case report. Contraindications...
such as disorientation, confusion, hypersomnolence, deep coma, or akineticmutism. This area is also prominently affected in traumatic brain injuries...
series, disorders of diminished motivation, like apathy, abulia, and akineticmutism, secondary to stroke and other causes, may be treated with dopaminergic...
part of FG syndrome. Anterior corpus callosum lesions may result in akineticmutism or anomic aphasia. See also: Alien hand syndrome Dyslexia without agraphia...
catatonia. In severe cases, patients may enter a coma-like state (akineticmutism).[citation needed] Patients may also experience abnormal eye movements...
supplied by the paramedian artery can cause serious problems including akineticmutism, and be accompanied by oculomotor problems. A related concept is thalamocortical...
dyskinesia Tolerance Withdrawal Motivational salience Apathy Abulia Akineticmutism Dreyer JL (2010). "New insights into the roles of microRNAs in drug...
creativity and curiosity Pervasive emotional apathy and blandness Akineticmutism The frontal lobe contains the precentral gyrus and prefrontal cortex...
rage without provocation; or loss of initiative and concern, apathy, akineticmutism, general retardation "frontal release" signs, i.e. reappearance of...
hypokinesia can be present in a wide variety of other conditions. Akineticmutism Hyperkinesia "Bradykinesia". B. Kolb, I. Whishaw (2011). An Introduction...
conflict in a Stroop task, emotional instability, inattention, and akineticmutism. There is evidence that damage to ACC is present in patients with schizophrenia...
in other conditions (like at home or at play). A rare cause of mutism is akineticmutism which results due to a lesion around the third ventricle of the...
foot and leg Gait apraxia (impairment of gait and stance) Abulia, akineticmutism, slowness and lack of spontaneity Urinary incontinence which usually...
in this area can lead to low drive states such as apathy, abulia or akineticmutism and may also result in low drive states for such basic needs as food...
by mouth. Audrey's family contended that she was in a state called akineticmutism — unable to speak and with limited movement, but fully alert and awake...
late stages of the disease" and even "when patients are unconscious". Akineticmutism were observed in late-stage patients, where they no longer have the...
flexibility and the state produced by the drug has been compared to Akineticmutism. The author William S. Burroughs references the drug in his book Naked...
claim to have complete lack of thoughts, positive or negative. Aboulia Akineticmutism Athymhormia Huntington's disease Progressive supranuclear palsy Avolition...
patients with such global disturbances of consciousness (including akineticmutism) reveal that dysfunction in a widespread cortical network including...
The final or terminal stage is characterized by stretching spasms, akineticmutism, hypotonic paresis, central pyrexia, and death. Similarly, leukoencephalopathy...
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