Biomaterial Database

Abnormal head movements. 1979

M A Gresty, and G M Halmagyi

Abnormal head movements have been studied in a variety of diseases using objective recording techniques and the data analysed with respect to the frequency content of the movement. Flopping, nodding, tic, chorea, myoclonic jerks, and most head tremors involve frequencies of approximately 2 and 4 Hz which correspond to the natural fundamental and second harmonic resonances of the head as determined by the mechanical properties of the head/neck system. These findings provide a basis for classification of abnormal head movements as well as an explanation of the characteristics of those arising from hypotonia of the neck muscles. The similarities between tremor frequencies and natural resonances suggest that in the case of the head, tremor arises from disorders of neural mechanisms normally responsible for the fine control of voluntary head movement and for stabilisation of the head during disturbance of posture. Head movements in cases of congenital nystagmus were found to be of two types. Some were of bizarre waveform, in no way assisted vision, and were taken to be of primarily pathological origin and classified as tremors. Others were learned adaptive responses which assisted vision either by interrupting the nystagmus, as in the case of spasmus nutans, or by compensating for the nystagmus with an inverse waveform and were called nodding. A prerequisite for true compensatory nodding is modified vestibulo-ocular reflex.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009069	Movement Disorders	Syndromes which feature DYSKINESIAS as a cardinal manifestation of the disease process. Included in this category are degenerative, hereditary, post-infectious, medication-induced, post-inflammatory, and post-traumatic conditions.	Dyskinesia Syndromes,Etat Marbre,Status Marmoratus,Movement Disorder Syndromes,Dyskinesia Syndrome,Movement Disorder,Movement Disorder Syndrome
D009207	Myoclonus	Involuntary shock-like contractions, irregular in rhythm and amplitude, followed by relaxation, of a muscle or a group of muscles. This condition may be a feature of some CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; (e.g., EPILEPSY, MYOCLONIC). Nocturnal myoclonus is the principal feature of the NOCTURNAL MYOCLONUS SYNDROME. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp102-3).	Myoclonus, Action,Myoclonus, Nocturnal,Myoclonus, Palatal,Polymyoclonus,Myoclonic Jerk,Myoclonic Jerking,Myoclonus Simplex,Myoclonus, Eyelid,Myoclonus, Intention,Myoclonus, Lower Extremity,Myoclonus, Oculopalatal,Myoclonus, Segmental,Myoclonus, Sleep,Myoclonus, Upper Extremity,Action Myoclonus,Extremity Myoclonus, Lower,Extremity Myoclonus, Upper,Eyelid Myoclonus,Intention Myoclonus,Jerk, Myoclonic,Jerking, Myoclonic,Jerks, Myoclonic,Lower Extremity Myoclonus,Myoclonic Jerks,Nocturnal Myoclonus,Oculopalatal Myoclonus,Palatal Myoclonus,Segmental Myoclonus,Simplex, Myoclonus,Sleep Myoclonus,Upper Extremity Myoclonus
D009759	Nystagmus, Pathologic	Involuntary movements of the eye that are divided into two types, jerk and pendular. Jerk nystagmus has a slow phase in one direction followed by a corrective fast phase in the opposite direction, and is usually caused by central or peripheral vestibular dysfunction. Pendular nystagmus features oscillations that are of equal velocity in both directions and this condition is often associated with visual loss early in life. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p272)	Convergence Nystagmus,Horizontal Nystagmus,Jerk Nystagmus,Pendular Nystagmus,Periodic Alternating Nystagmus,Rotary Nystagmus,See-Saw Nystagmus,Vertical Nystagmus,Conjugate Nystagmus,Dissociated Nystagmus,Fatigable Positional Nystagmus,Multidirectional Nystagmus,Non-Fatigable Positional Nystagmus,Permanent Nystagmus,Rebound Nystagmus,Retraction Nystagmus,Rotational Nystagmus,Spontaneous Ocular Nystagmus,Symptomatic Nystagmus,Temporary Nystagmus,Unidirectional Nystagmus,Non Fatigable Positional Nystagmus,Nystagmus, Conjugate,Nystagmus, Convergence,Nystagmus, Dissociated,Nystagmus, Fatigable Positional,Nystagmus, Horizontal,Nystagmus, Jerk,Nystagmus, Multidirectional,Nystagmus, Non-Fatigable Positional,Nystagmus, Pendular,Nystagmus, Periodic Alternating,Nystagmus, Permanent,Nystagmus, Rebound,Nystagmus, Retraction,Nystagmus, Rotary,Nystagmus, Rotational,Nystagmus, See-Saw,Nystagmus, Spontaneous Ocular,Nystagmus, Symptomatic,Nystagmus, Temporary,Nystagmus, Unidirectional,Nystagmus, Vertical,Ocular Nystagmus, Spontaneous,Pathologic Nystagmus,Positional Nystagmus, Non-Fatigable,See Saw Nystagmus
D011187	Posture	The position or physical attitude of the body.	Postures
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002819	Chorea	Involuntary, forcible, rapid, jerky movements that may be subtle or become confluent, markedly altering normal patterns of movement. Hypotonia and pendular reflexes are often associated. Conditions which feature recurrent or persistent episodes of chorea as a primary manifestation of disease are referred to as CHOREATIC DISORDERS. Chorea is also a frequent manifestation of BASAL GANGLIA DISEASES.	Choreatic Disorders,Choreiform Movement,Chorea Disorders,Chorea Syndromes,Chorea, Benign Hereditary,Chorea, Chronic Progressive,Chorea, Rheumatic,Chorea, Senile,Chorea, Sydenham,Choreatic Syndromes,Choreic Movement,Dyskinesias, Paroxysmal,Hereditary Chorea,Hereditary Progressive Chorea Without Dementia,Paroxysmal Dyskinesias,Rheumatic Chorea,Senile Chorea,St. Vitus's Dance,Sydenham Chorea,Sydenham's Chorea,Benign Hereditary Chorea,Benign Hereditary Choreas,Chorea Disorder,Chorea Syndrome,Chorea, Hereditary,Chorea, Sydenham's,Choreas,Choreas, Benign Hereditary,Choreas, Chronic Progressive,Choreas, Hereditary,Choreas, Rheumatic,Choreas, Senile,Choreas, Sydenham,Choreatic Disorder,Choreatic Syndrome,Choreic Movements,Choreiform Movements,Chronic Progressive Chorea,Chronic Progressive Choreas,Disorder, Chorea,Disorder, Choreatic,Disorders, Chorea,Disorders, Choreatic,Dyskinesia, Paroxysmal,Hereditary Chorea, Benign,Hereditary Choreas,Hereditary Choreas, Benign,Movement, Choreic,Movement, Choreiform,Movements, Choreic,Movements, Choreiform,Paroxysmal Dyskinesia,Progressive Chorea, Chronic,Progressive Choreas, Chronic,Rheumatic Choreas,Senile Choreas,St. Vitus Dance,St. Vitus's Dances,St. Vituss Dance,Sydenham Choreas,Sydenhams Chorea,Syndrome, Chorea,Syndrome, Choreatic,Syndromes, Chorea,Syndromes, Choreatic
D005133	Eye Movements	Voluntary or reflex-controlled movements of the eye.	Eye Movement,Movement, Eye,Movements, Eye
D005403	Fixation, Ocular	Positioning and accommodation of eyes that allows the image to be brought into place on the FOVEA CENTRALIS of each eye.	Focusing, Ocular,Ocular Fixation,Eye Gaze,Eye Gazes,Gaze, Eye,Gazes, Eye,Ocular Focusing
D006257	Head	The upper part of the human body, or the front or upper part of the body of an animal, typically separated from the rest of the body by a neck, and containing the brain, mouth, and sense organs.	Heads
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man