Gegenhalten
Gegenhalten (pronounced: geh-gen-hal-ten) is a medical term used in neurology to describe a type of resistance encountered when attempting to manipulate a patient's limb. The term is of German origin, with "gegen" meaning "against" and "halten" meaning "hold".
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈɡeɪɡənˌhɑːltən/
Etymology
The term is derived from the German language, where "gegen" translates to "against" and "halten" translates to "hold". It is used to describe the involuntary resistance of a patient's muscles against passive movement.
Definition
Gegenhalten is a form of Paratonia, which is a type of increased muscle tone. It is often seen in patients with various forms of neurological disorders, including dementia and catatonia. When a limb of a patient with gegenhalten is moved in one direction, the patient involuntarily resists the movement. The resistance is proportional to the force applied by the examiner, increasing as more force is applied.
Related Terms
- Paratonia: A type of increased muscle tone often seen in dementia patients.
- Dementia: A broad category of brain diseases that cause a long-term and often gradual decrease in the ability to think and remember.
- Catatonia: A state of psycho-motor immobility and behavioral abnormality.
- Neurology: The branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Gegenhalten
- Wikipedia's article - Gegenhalten
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski