The term hemichoreia refers to choreia of one side of the body, such as choreia of one arm and not both (comparable to hemiballismus).
Choreia is characterized by brief, quasi-purposeful, irregular contractions that are not repetitive or rhythmic, but appear to flow from one muscle to the next.
These 'dance-like' movements of choreia (from the same root word as "choreography") often occur with athetosis, which adds twisting and writhing movements.
Choreia can occur in a variety of conditions and disorders.
• Choreia is a primary feature of Huntington's disease, a progressive neurological disorder.
• Twenty percent of children and adolescents with rheumatic fever develop Sydenham's chorea as a complication.
• Choreia gravidarum is rare type of choreia which is a complication of pregnancy.
• Choreia may also be caused by drugs (levodopa, anti-convulsants, anti-psychotics), metabolic disorders, endocrine disorders, and vascular incidents.
• Ataxia telangiectasia
• Wilson's disease, a genetic disorder that leads to toxic levels of copper in the body
