Hypomimia
Hypomimia (pronounced: hypo-mim-ia) is a medical term that refers to a reduction in the expressiveness of the face, often associated with Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders.
Etymology
The term Hypomimia is derived from the Greek words 'hypo' meaning 'under' or 'less than normal' and 'mimia' meaning 'mimicry' or 'imitation'.
Definition
Hypomimia, also known as facial masking, is a decreased degree of facial expressiveness. It is often characterized by a lack of spontaneous blinking, a fixed gaze, and a reduced ability to express emotions through facial expressions.
Symptoms
The primary symptom of hypomimia is a reduced ability to make facial expressions. This can make it difficult for others to read the person's emotions or reactions. Other symptoms may include a decreased blink rate, a fixed or staring gaze, and difficulty moving the facial muscles.
Causes
Hypomimia is most commonly associated with Parkinson's disease, but it can also occur in other neurological conditions such as Huntington's disease, Wilson's disease, and certain forms of dystonia. It is thought to be caused by a disruption in the neural pathways that control facial expressions.
Treatment
Treatment for hypomimia typically involves managing the underlying condition. This may include medication, physical therapy, or surgical interventions such as deep brain stimulation.
Related Terms
- Parkinson's disease
- Facial masking
- Neurological disorders
- Huntington's disease
- Wilson's disease
- Dystonia
- Deep brain stimulation
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hypomimia
- Wikipedia's article - Hypomimia
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