Chorea is an abnormal involuntary movement disorder, one of a group of neurological disorders called dyskinesias, which are caused by overactivity of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the areas of the brain that control movement. Chorea is characterized by brief, irregular contractions that are not repetitive or rhythmic, but appear to flow from one muscle to the next. Chorea often occurs with athetosis, which adds twisting and writhing movements. Chorea is a primary feature of Huntington's disease, a progressive, hereditary movement disorder that appears in adults, but it may also occur in a variety of other conditions. Syndenham's chorea occurs in a small percentage (20 percent) of children and adolescents as a complication of rheumatic fever. Chorea can also be induced by drugs (levodopa, anti-convulsants, and anti-psychotics) metabolic and endocrine disorders, and vascular incidents.
Hereditary Disease Foundation 3960 Broadway 6th Floor New York, NY 10032 cures@hdfoundation.org http://www.hdfoundation.org Tel: 212-928-2121 Fax: 212-928-2172 |
Huntington's Disease Society of America 505 Eighth Avenue Suite 902 New York, NY 10018 hdsainfo@hdsa.org http://www.hdsa.org Tel: 212-242-1968 800-345-HDSA (4372) Fax: 212-239-3430 |
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Last updated February 18, 2009