Which cerebral palsy category is associated with athetosis of the face, tongue, hands, and feet with chorea of the trunk, arms, and legs?

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Multiple Choice

Which cerebral palsy category is associated with athetosis of the face, tongue, hands, and feet with chorea of the trunk, arms, and legs?

Movements that show athetosis—slow, writhing motions of the face, tongue, hands, and feet—with accompanying chorea of the trunk and limbs point to a dyskinetic, or extrapyramidal, form of cerebral palsy. This pattern stems from involvement of the basal ganglia, which regulate smooth, coordinated movements, and it produces involuntary hyperkinetic activity rather than the sustained muscle tone and spasticity seen in other CP types. Hemiplegic, quadriplegic, and diplegic CPs are primarily spastic movement disorders with distinct limb distributions (one side, all four limbs, or legs more affected, respectively) and do not typically present with prominent chorea and athetosis. Therefore, the presentation described best fits extrapyramidal (dyskinetic) cerebral palsy.

Movements that show athetosis—slow, writhing motions of the face, tongue, hands, and feet—with accompanying chorea of the trunk and limbs point to a dyskinetic, or extrapyramidal, form of cerebral palsy. This pattern stems from involvement of the basal ganglia, which regulate smooth, coordinated movements, and it produces involuntary hyperkinetic activity rather than the sustained muscle tone and spasticity seen in other CP types.

Hemiplegic, quadriplegic, and diplegic CPs are primarily spastic movement disorders with distinct limb distributions (one side, all four limbs, or legs more affected, respectively) and do not typically present with prominent chorea and athetosis. Therefore, the presentation described best fits extrapyramidal (dyskinetic) cerebral palsy.

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