chorea

Last reviewed 01/2018

Chorea is a word derived from the Greek for dance.

Chorea is the ceaseless occurrence of rapid, jerky involuntary movements. The face, tongue and limbs may all be involved. There is associated hypotonia and inability to maintain a posture. Choreiform movements generally occur at right angles to the axis of a limb.

Chorea may be caused by lesions in the following basal ganglia:

• caudate nucleus
• subthalamic nucleus of Luys
• globus pallidus