Knowra Chorea Chorea Chorea is a movement disorder marked by brief, involuntary, irregular movements that flow unpredictably from one body part to another. It can arise from inherited, acquired, or medication-related causes.
Basal ganglia : A group of interconnected brain structures involved in movement, action selection, learning, and motivation. Chorea is linked to altered activity in basal ganglia circuits that help regulate movement.
Sydenham chorea : A childhood-onset movement disorder that can follow group A streptococcal infection and acute rheumatic fever. It is a distinct, often treatable cause of chorea in children.
Dyskinesia : An umbrella term for abnormal, involuntary movements. Chorea is one specific movement pattern within the broader category of dyskinesias.
Genetic testing : Laboratory analysis of DNA to identify genetic variants associated with disease or traits. Testing can confirm inherited causes such as Huntington’s disease, but does not explain every chorea presentation.
Huntington's disease : An inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by a pathogenic expansion in the HTT gene. Its chorea can affect function and identity alongside cognitive and psychiatric changes.
Indirect pathway of the basal ganglia : A basal ganglia circuit that helps suppress competing or unwanted movements. Reduced influence of this pathway can contribute to excessive, unwanted movements in chorea.
Tardive dyskinesia : A movement disorder involving involuntary movements after prolonged exposure to dopamine-receptor-blocking medicines. Its choreiform movements can resemble chorea, but the medication history and movement pattern help distinguish them.
Athetosis : Slow, continuous, writhing involuntary movement, usually affecting the hands or feet. Chorea can blend with slower athetotic movements, a combination sometimes called choreoathetosis.
Exome sequencing : A method that reads most protein-coding regions of the genome to identify genetic variants. It can help investigate rare inherited choreas when examination and targeted tests do not reveal a cause.
Motor disability : Limitations in movement that can affect a person’s ability to perform daily activities. Unpredictable movements may interfere with walking, eating, communication, and other everyday tasks.
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