Definition

Noun: - A form of abasia (inability to walk) specifically caused by or associated with choreic movements—involuntary, irregular, and jerky motions—of the legs.

Usage

This is a highly specific medical term used in clinical neurology to describe a gait disorder where a person's walking ability is impaired due to uncontrollable, dance-like movements in the legs, characteristic of conditions like Huntington's disease or Sydenham's chorea. - The patient's sudden inability to walk was diagnosed as choreic abasia, a direct result of the choreiform movements affecting her lower limbs. - Choreic abasia differentiates from other forms of abasia by its specific cause in hyperkinetic movement disorders.

Advanced Usage

• The term is primarily used in differential diagnosis to distinguish walking failure caused by involuntary movements from that caused by weakness, spasticity, or lack of coordination.
• It may appear in medical literature describing the neurological sequelae of rheumatic fever (Sydenham's chorea) or genetic disorders.

Variants and Related Words

• Abasia (n): The broader category meaning loss of the power to walk, due to any cause.
• Chorea (n): The neurological disorder featuring the characteristic involuntary, brief, and irregular movements.
• Choreic (adj): Of or relating to chorea (e.g., ).

Synonyms

• Abasia due to chorea (descriptive synonym)
• Gait failure secondary to chorea (clinical description)

Related Phrases

• Choreiform gait: A related descriptive phrase focusing on the abnormal walking pattern itself rather than the complete inability to walk. Choreic abasia often represents a severe manifestation of a choreiform gait.

Noun

1. abasia related to abnormal movements of the legs