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It is most often associated with Parkinson’s disease and is one of the main symptoms doctors use to diagnose the disease.
Bradykinesia can also be a side effect of medications or a symptom of other neurological issues.
The condition is essentially slow or difficult body movement.
There are varying degrees of bradykinesia.
In addition to slow movements and reflexes, a person may experience:
immobile or frozen muscles.
limited facial expressions.
a shuffling walk.
difficulty with repetitive tasks.
trouble completing self-care and daily activities.
dragging a foot while walking.
Inability to speak clearly.
Speech becomes softer and much harder for others to unders.
There is a specific test used to diagnose bradykinesia, called the bradykinesia incoordination test.
During the test, a person does a series of rapid taps on a keyboard with alternating fingers for one minute.
The test score is based on:
the number of correct keys hit
the number of wrong keys tapped
how long it takes to hit the keys
the time separating each keys.
Recommend medication in conjunction with lifestyle treatments.
Medication that increases the body’s dopamine level.
carbidopa-levodopa
MAO-B inhibitors
dopamine agonists
Most of the drugs for bradykinesia lose their effectiveness over time, and management requires dosage or drug changes.