saint vitus dance
Definition
Noun: - A neurological disorder: "Saint Vitus dance" is a historical and medical term for Sydenham's chorea, a disorder characterized by rapid, involuntary, and purposeless movements of the body, particularly the face and limbs. It is a major neurological manifestation of rheumatic fever, occurring primarily in children and adolescents.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The child was diagnosed with Saint Vitus dance following a streptococcal infection.
- Symptoms of Saint Vitus dance can include jerky, uncoordinated movements and emotional instability.
Advanced Usage
- Historical Context: The term "Saint Vitus dance" originates from the Middle Ages, named after Saint Vitus, a Christian saint who was invoked by those suffering from dancing manias and similar nervous disorders. In modern medicine, the preferred clinical term is Sydenham chorea.
- The historical phenomenon of "dancing mania" was sometimes conflated with what we now call Saint Vitus dance.
Variants and Related Words
- Sydenham chorea (n): The modern medical term for the same disorder.
- Sydenham chorea is the most common form of acquired chorea in children.
- Chorea (n): The general medical term for the abnormal, dance-like movements characteristic of this and other disorders.
- Chorea is a primary symptom of several neurological conditions.
Synonyms
- Sydenham's chorea: The standard synonym in medical terminology.
- Rheumatic chorea: Emphasizes the association with rheumatic fever.
Notes on Meaning
This term is now considered somewhat archaic in clinical practice but remains in historical and some lay contexts. It refers specifically to the chorea associated with rheumatic fever, not to other forms of chorea or to the historical "dancing manias."
Noun
-
chorea occurring chiefly in children and associated with rheumatic fever
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