eMedicine Specialties > Neurology > Behavioral Neurology and Dementia

Apraxia and Related Syndromes: Follow-up

Author: Jasvinder Chawla, MBBS, MD, MBA, Associate Professor of Neurology, Director of Neurology Residency Training Program, Director of Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory, Assistant Director of Neurology Clerkship Program, Department of Neurology, Loyola University Medical Center
Coauthor(s): Daniel H Jacobs, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jan 14, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Occupational therapy, if appropriate, must be considered to assist the patient in using the affected limb and in attaining maximum independence.
  • Physical therapy is appropriate for patients with diseases that are considered high risk for falls. Such therapy is useful not only to provide the patient with training or exercises designed to increase his or her safety but also to modify the environment, to provide assistive devices, and to teach the caregivers. Therefore, therapy may be beneficial even for patients who are demented and incapable of a great amount of new learning.

Complications

Patients with certain progressive diseases such as progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal ganglionic degeneration, and stroke may be at high risk of falling. Patients with useless limbs syndrome can progress to a painful clenched fist. Patients with dementias can develop secondary nutritional deficiencies.

Prognosis

Patients with apraxia, in general, become dependent for their activities of daily living and require at least some degree of supervision. Patients with stroke may have a stable course and even improve somewhat. Patients with degenerative diseases or tumors usually progress to increased levels of dependence.

Patient Education

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Stroke Center and Dementia Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Stroke and Stroke-Related Dementia.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Pitfalls may include failure to recognize a deficit and to make a diagnosis. Failure to diagnose apraxia may, in turn, lead to failure to diagnose an underlying condition such as stroke or brain tumor.
  • In a patient with a known brain lesion (stroke), failure to recognize apraxia may lead to inappropriate discharge, for example, without appropriate follow-up occupational therapy or supervision of the patient, and could lead to injury of the patient.
 


More on Apraxia and Related Syndromes

Overview: Apraxia and Related Syndromes
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Apraxia and Related Syndromes
Treatment & Medication: Apraxia and Related Syndromes
Follow-up: Apraxia and Related Syndromes
References
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References

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Further Reading

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Keywords

apraxia and related syndromes, behavioral neurology syndrome, apraxia of speech, buccofacial apraxia, callosal apraxia, conceptual apraxia, dyspraxia, ideomotor apraxia, ideational apraxia, limb apraxia, limb kinetic apraxia, magnetic apraxia, motor agnosia, oral apraxia, parectropia, disorder of voluntary movement, voluntary movement disorder, alien hand syndrome

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Jasvinder Chawla, MBBS, MD, MBA, Associate Professor of Neurology, Director of Neurology Residency Training Program, Director of Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory, Assistant Director of Neurology Clerkship Program, Department of Neurology, Loyola University Medical Center
Jasvinder Chawla, MBBS, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Daniel H Jacobs, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Central Florida College of Medicine
Daniel H Jacobs, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Society of Neurorehabilitation, and Society for Neuroscience
Disclosure: Teva Pharmaceutical Grant/research funds Consulting; Biogen Idex Grant/research funds Independent contractor; Serono EMD Royalty Speaking and teaching; Pfizer Royalty Speaking and teaching; Berlex Royalty Speaking and teaching

Medical Editor

Stephen T Gancher, MD, Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Oregon Health Sciences University
Stephen T Gancher, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, and Movement Disorders Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Managing Editor

Richard J Caselli, MD, Professor, Department of Neurology, Mayo Medical School, Rochester, MN; Chair, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic of Scottsdale
Richard J Caselli, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology, American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, American Medical Association, American Neurological Association, and Sigma Xi
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

CME Editor

Matthew J Baker, MD, Consulting Staff, Collier Neurologic Specialists, Naples Community Hospital
Matthew J Baker, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Howard A Crystal, MD, Professor, Departments of Neurology and Pathology, State University of New York Downstate; Consulting Staff, Department of Neurology, University Hospital and Kings County Hospital Center
Howard A Crystal, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Neurology and American Neurological Association
Disclosure: Pfizer Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Myriad Honoraria Consulting

 
 
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