Action-intentional disorders in neurodegenerative diseases

The action-intentional disorders are often associated with many progressive degenerative and vascular cerebral disorders as well as endocrine, metabolic and psychiatric disorders. While clinicians rarely test for disorder of this system, they are often responsible for serious disabilities, dependency and a reduction of quality of life. This chapter reviews the four major forms of action-intentional disorders including impairments of action initiation, impersistence, defective response inhibition, and perseveration, as well as the subtypes of each of these disorders. The symptoms, signs and means of testing patients for each of these action-intentional disorders will be described. In addition, the pathophysiology of these disorders as well as some of the diseases that can induce these disorders will also be discussed. In regard to treatment, when possible the underlying disease must be treated and while some possible treatments will be discussed much further research is needed to increase our understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders as well as their treatment.