The 5 types of Apraxia: differences, symptoms and common causes.

This neurological symptom can be differentiated into several subtypes.

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

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

• Recommended article: "The 15 most frequent neurological disorders".

What is an apraxia?

Apraxia consists of the inability to perform specific maneuvers or activities and has its cause in a neurological disorder. People suffering from any of the types of apraxia may try to perform an action or gesture, as 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 performing actions can manifest in many different ways and the same person may 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 underlies 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 to the action or movement the person wants to perform. These types are the following.

1. Ideational Apraxia

This type of apraxia disables the person in the performance of tasks in which he/she must follow a series of steps. For example, cooking.

Due to difficulties in conceptual ideation, these people may also encounter obstacles when using everyday objects correctly; even using parts of the body as objects, for example, trying to write using the finger.

However, all these actions are not performed 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 as a chain of links of maneuvers, the person can perform each individual action correctly, but is unable to carry out the succession of actions coherently.

A couple of examples might be pressing the accelerator of the car without having put the keys in or putting food in a frying pan without having lit the fire.

2. Constructional Apraxia

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

But this neurological disturbance can take shape in a number of ways; for example, a person asked to copy or make a drawing may:

• Invert or rotate shapes
• Disperse the pieces of the shapes
• Omit details
• misalign the angles of the shapes
• Etc.

Causes

Impairments related to construction functioning and spatial management can occur as a result of midbrain lesions, although this deficit is much more severe when there is brain damage to the right hemisphere.

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

3. Ideomotor Apraxia

Ideomotor apraxia is characterized by a lack of ability to carry out actions in response to purely verbal commands..

Also, people who suffer from it tend to have difficulties when performing simple movements, compared to much more complex ones. For example, greeting or opening a door. However, these same people tend to continually explain all their actions, thus suffering from verbal overflow.

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 such apraxic anomalies in both left and right hands. In addition, they also tend to use everyday objects in the wrong way; using, for example, a fork to write.

4. Oculomotor apraxia

The main characteristic of this apraxia is presented in the form of difficulty in moving the eyes in a desired way, specifically horizontally.The vertical movements of the eye are not affected by this apraxia. The person suffering from this apraxia is forced to make compensatory movements, such as turning the head continuously, in order to be able to perceive his environment correctly.

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

Causes

It is not known for certain why people are born with this condition. But genetics has come to be considered to play a major role in this type of apraxia.

5. Other types

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

Buccofacial, buccolingual or orofacial apraxia

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

Articulatory or speech apraxia

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