Adiadochokinesia

ADIADOCHOKINESIA (from Greek a- negative prefix, and diadochos-following one after another), a disorder of complex motor movements in the form of slowness in alternating movements. Normally, in any complex movement consisting of sequential simple movements, the cessation of one movement and the beginning of another occur very quickly. Babinsky (Babinski) called this ability to quickly alternate simple movements "diadochokinesis." To detect a violation of this ability, the patient is made to perform a series of rapid alternating pronations and supinations of the hand or to quickly flex and extend the fingers. In adiadochokinesia, these movements are performed at a slowed pace. Adiadochokinesia is observed in diseases of the cerebellum and striatum, as well as their connections. It is part of a group of symptoms observed in lesions of the extrapyramidal system (see Amiostatic symptom complex).