spasticity
Sign in to saveSpasticity () is a feature of altered skeletal muscle performance with a combination of paralysis, increased tendon reflex activity, and hypertonia. It is also colloquially referred to as an unusual "tightness", stiffness, or "pull" of muscles.
Key facts
- Medical condition.name
- Spasticity
- Medical condition.specialty
- Neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation
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Article
13 sectionsContents
- Pathophysiology
- Spasticity and clonus
- Characteristics of spasticity
- Diagnosis
- Grading
- Assessment
- Treatment
- Prognosis
- Research
- History
- See also
- References
- Further reading
Spasticity () is a feature of altered skeletal muscle performance with a combination of paralysis, increased tendon reflex activity, and hypertonia. It is also colloquially referred to as an unusual "tightness", stiffness, or "pull" of muscles.
Clinically, spasticity results from the loss of inhibition of motor neurons, causing excessive velocity-dependent muscle contraction. This ultimately leads to hyperreflexia, an exaggerated deep tendon reflex. Spasticity is often treated with the drug baclofen, which acts as an agonist at GABA receptors, which are inhibitory.