The 5 types of Apraxia: frequent symptoms and causes

Among many of the functions that the brain possesses, those of planning and coordinating movements and actions, are among the most used by people, since without them we could do little.

When these functions fail, disorders such as any of the different types of apraxia appear in which carry out any action or gesture can become extremely difficult if not impossible.

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What is an apraxia?

Apraxia is the inability to perform specific maneuvers or activities and is caused by a neurological disorder. People who suffer from any of the types of apraxia They can try to perform an action or a gesture, since they have the physical ability to do so, but their brain is unable to send to build the sequence of movements to perform it. These obstacles in carrying out actions can manifest in many different ways and the same person can have one or more types of apraxia at the same time.

The most effective treatments for this disorder are physical therapy, speech therapy, and

occupational therapy. But the degree to which therapy can alleviate the problem varies among patients. In cases where the apraxia is underlying another neurological disorder, medical treatment for that disorder may be effective in curing it.

The main types of apraxia

The types of apraxia are classified according to their relationship with the action or movement that the person wants to perform. These types are as follows.

1. Ideational Apraxia

This type of apraxia disables the person in carrying out tasks in which they must follow a series of steps.. Like cooking for example.

Due to the difficulties in conceptual ideation, these people can also find obstacles when using everyday objects correctly; Even going so far as to use parts of the body as objects, such as trying to write using a finger.

In any case, all these actions are not carried out within a temporal sequence, which means that these patients are unable to access the memory that allows them to act correctly.

Causes

This particular form of apraxia is generally caused by a disorder in the temporal sequence of motor acts.. If the act of performing an action is considered a chain of maneuver links, the person can perform each individual action correctly, but is unable to carry out the succession of actions with coherence.

A couple of examples could be pressing the accelerator in the car without putting the keys in or putting food in a pan without turning on the fire.

2. Constructional Apraxia

Also called constructive apraxia. During the course of this disorder, the patient has difficulties in drawing figures or constructing shapes..

But this neurological disturbance can take shape in any number of ways; For example, a person who asks you to copy or draw a picture may:

• Flip or rotate shapes
• Disperse the pieces of the shapes
• Skip the details
• Misalign the angles of the figures
• Etc.

Causes

Conditions related to the operation of the building and to spatial management can occur due to injuries produced in half of the brain; although this deficit is much more serious when there is brain damage in the right hemisphere.

So depending on the laterality, the extent and the location of the injury, the deprivation of skills can take different forms.

3. Ideomotor Apraxia

Ideomotor apraxia is characterized by the inability to carry out actions in response to purely verbal commands..

Also, people who suffer from it tend to have difficulty performing simple movements, compared to much more complex ones. For example, say hello or open a door. However, these same people tend to continually explain all their actions, thus suffering a verbal flood.

Causes

The causes are generally associated with lesions in the inferior parietal lobe of the left hemisphere.

These patients tend to be somewhat clumsy when performing any act, whether it is a genuine movement of the person or an imitation; Presenting said apraxic anomalies in both the left and right hands. In addition, they also tend to use everyday objects in the wrong way; using, for example, a writing fork.

4. Oculomotor Apraxia

The main feature of this apraxia is in the form of difficulty moving the eyes in the desired way., specifically horizontally; vertical eye movements are not affected by it. The person who suffers from it is forced to make compensatory movements, such as continually turning their head, in order to correctly perceive their environment.

This type of apraxia is likely to improve over the years when it occurs in young children. It is believed that the growth of the underdeveloped part of the brain during the first years of life.

Causes

It is not known for sure why people are born with this condition. But it has come to be considered that genetics plays a key role in this type of apraxia.

5. Other types

Apraxias may have other differential characteristics, for example the following.

Orofacial, buccolingual or orofacial

This apraxia limits facial movements, making actions such as lip licking, whistling, or winking very difficult or impossible.

articulatory or speech

It is explained by a deficiency in the nervous system and is characterized by presenting difficulties in the planning and range of speech sounds.