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Bradykinesia

Bradykinesia is a slowness in the initiation and performance of voluntary movements, one of the typical signs of parkinsonian syndromes, in which situation it is often accompanied by difficulty in the initiation of movement (akinesia, hypokinesia) and reduced amplitude of movement (hypometria) which may increase with rapid repetitive movements (fatigue). It may be overcome by reflexive movements or in moments of intense emotion (kinesis paradoxica). Bradykinesia in parkinsonian syndromes reflects dopamine depletion in the basal ganglia. It may be improved by levodopa and dopaminergic agonists, less so by anticholinergic agents.

Slowness of voluntary movement may also be seen with psychomotor retardation, frontal lobe lesions producing abulia, and in the condition of obsessive slowness.