ATHETOSIS-DYSTONIA IN INTRAMEDULLARY LESIONS OF SPINAL-CORD

Athetosis and dystonia are well known clinical signs, described in dis orders of basal ganglia. As opposed to pseudoathetosis, true athetosis was hitherto not reported in cord lesions. We here report three patie nts with athetosis and dystonia of hands due to intramedullary lesions of cervical cord: two patients with syringomyelia and one with glioma . Even though pseudoathetosis can be produced by lesions of posterior columns and likely to be confused with the involuntary movements of ou r patients, they had clinical and EMG findings consistent with true at hetosis. A possible explanation for the athetosis and dystonia due to cord lesion is being postulated.