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Title: Distinguishing Common Movement Disorders

Category: Neurology

Keywords: movement disorders, chorea, athetosis, fasiculations, dystonia (PubMed Search)

Posted: 11/10/2010 by Aisha Liferidge, MD (Updated: 7/21/2026)

  • Many neurologic conditions present with motor dysfunction.  It is often helpful to distinguish these movement abnormalities in order to properly recognize and manage the disorder.
  • Chorea >>> Sudden, ballistic movements.
  • Athetosis >>> Writhing, repetitive movements.
  • Fasiculations >>> Fine twitching of individual muscle bundles, most easily noted on the tongue.
  • Dystonia >>> Sudden, tonic contractions of muscles of the tongue, neck (torticollis), back (opisthotonos), mouth, or eyes (oculogyric crisis).
  • Tardive dyskinesia >>> lip smacking, chewing, and teeth grinding (early signs).

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