Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 23, 2026
Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
Movement disorders of probable infectious origin
Ketan Jhunjhunwala1, M Netravathi1, Pramod Kumar Pal1
1Department of Neurology, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Background:
Movement disorders (MDs) associated with infections remains an important debilitating disorder in the Asian countries.
Objectives:
The objective of the following study is to report the clinical and imaging profile of a large cohort of patients with MDs probably associated with infection.
Materials And Methods:
This was a chart review of 35 patients (F:M-15:20) presenting with MD in the Neurology services of National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, India. The demographic profile, type of infection, time from infection to MD, phenomenology of MD and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were reviewed.
Results:
The mean age at presentation was 22.6 ± 13.3 years, (5-60), age of onset of MD was 15.7 ± 15 years, and duration of symptoms was 6.9 ± 8.1 years (42 days to 32 years). The mean latency of onset of MD after the infection was 5.9 ± 4.2 weeks. The phenomenology of MD were: (1) Pure dystonia-28.6%, (2) dystonia with choreoathetosis-22.9%, (3) Parkinsonism-14.6%, (4) pure tremor, hemiballismus, myoclonus and chorea-2.9% each, and (5) mixed MD-22.9%. Most often the MD was generalized (60%), followed by right upper limb (31.4%) and left upper limb (8.6%). A viral encephalitic type of neuroinfection was the most common infection (85.7%), which was associated with MD. Abnormalities of brain MRI, seen in 79.2%, included signal changes in (1) thalamus-52.0%, (2) putamen and subcortical white matter-16% each, (3) pons-12%, (4) striatopallidum, striatum and grey matter-8% each, and (5) caudate, cerebellum, lentiform nucleus, midbrain and subthalamic nucleus-4.0% each.
Conclusions:
MDs associated with infection were the most often post-encephalitic. Dystonia was the most common MD, and thalamus was the most common anatomical site involved.
Insights
Infections frequently cause movement disorders (MDs), particularly post-encephalitic dystonia. Brain imaging often reveals thalamic abnormalities in affected patients, highlighting key diagnostic markers.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Movement disorders (MDs) linked to infections are a significant cause of disability in Asia.
- Understanding the clinical and imaging features of infection-associated MDs is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the clinical and neuroimaging findings in a large cohort of patients with movement disorders potentially caused by infection.
- To identify common patterns of infection, movement disorder phenomenology, and brain abnormalities.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective chart review of 35 patients with movement disorders was conducted at a tertiary care center in India.
- Data collected included demographics, infection type, latency to MD onset, MD phenomenology, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.
Main Results:
- The most common infection was viral encephalitis (85.7%), leading to movement disorders with a mean latency of 5.9 weeks.
- Dystonia was the most frequent MD (28.6%), often generalized (60%).
- Brain MRI abnormalities were present in 79.2% of patients, with the thalamus being the most commonly affected site (52.0%).
Conclusions:
- Infection-associated movement disorders are frequently post-encephalitic.
- Dystonia is the predominant movement disorder, and the thalamus is the most commonly implicated anatomical region in neuroimaging.
- Findings underscore the importance of considering infectious etiologies in movement disorder diagnosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Encephalitis l: Introduction
01:18Viral Meningitis
01:28Disorders of the Nervous Tissue
Homeostatic Imbalances:
Alzheimer's disease manifests as a gradual decline in memory and cognitive abilities, attributed to the buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain.
Parkinson's disease arises from the...
01:28Disorders of the Skeletal Muscle
Musculoskeletal disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders involve injuries and conditions affecting the skeletal muscles and associated connective tissues. These disorders can arise from acute biomechanical stresses or chronic overuse and can occur across different age groups. Common injuries include sprains, fractures, and muscular strains, often resulting from...
01:26Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
01:24Parkinson Disease l: Introduction