Bradykinesia / Hypokinesia
Bradykinesia refers to progressive slowness of movement, while hypokinesia refers to progressive smallness of movements.
These findings are decremental, meaning that they worsen as they are repeated.
How to Perform
Ask the patient to perform a variety of tasks as rapidly as possible:- Opening and closing the hand
- Tapping the thumb and index fingers together
- Pronating and supinating the hand
Look For
- Progressive slowing and smallness of movement with repetition of the task.
Micrographia
How to Perform
- Ask the patient to write a sentence on a piece of paper.
Interpretation
- Classically, patients with Parkinsonism will start writing a sentence normally, and during the sentence their writing will become smaller and smaller, due to bradykinesia and hypokinesia.
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