Abasia-Astasia
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
Abasia-astasia is a symptom occurring most frequently in hysteria, characterized by a disorder of walking and standing while all other leg movements remain completely intact. It arises through psychogenic mechanisms and is related to a disruption in the recall of kinesthetic images of walking or to an unreasoned fear that arises during movement. It is also frequently observed as a normal phenomenon in early childhood.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
ABASIA-ASTASIA (from Greek a- negative particle, basis walking, and stasis standing), a symptom occurring most frequently in hysteria, characterized by a disorder of walking and standing while all other leg movements remain completely intact. It arises in a purely psychogenic way and depends either on a disruption in the reproduction of the kinesthetic images of the walking process or on an unreasoned fear that arises when walking. It is particularly often observed as a normal phenomenon in early childhood.
Related articles
Cite this page
“Abasia-Astasia.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/abasia-astasia/