Synonyms
Blocq’s disease
Definition
An inability to stand and walk in a normal and coordinated manner. Astasia means inability to maintain standing, and abasia refers to impaired coordination of gait. The term is usually applied to unusual, often bizarre patterns of gait and stance that appear to have no neuropathophysiologic basis. Conversion disorder is frequently the underlying cause. Patients may sway in a staggering, unstable manner, often catching themselves before falling. This syndrome is also referred to as Blocq’s disease.
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References and Readings
Morris, J. G., Mark de Moore, G., & Herberstein, M. (2006). Psychogenic gait: An example of deceptive signaling. In C. R. Cloninger & M. Hallett (Eds.), Psychogenic movement disorders: Neurology and neuropsychiatry. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Okun, M. S., & Koehler, P. J. (2007). Paul Blocq and (psychogenic) astasia abasia. Movement Disorders, 22, 1373–1378.
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Katz, D.I. (2018). Astasia-Abasia. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_440
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_440
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Online ISBN: 978-3-319-57111-9
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