Akinesia (Parkinson’s disease)

The absence or lack of movement. Aki-nesia typically manifests in Parkinson’s disease as temporary episodes of “freezing” during movement or difficulty in starting movement such as walking. Although akinesia is one of the classic symptoms of moderate to advanced Parkinson’s disease, not all people with Parkinson’s develop it. As Parkinson’s progresses, those who have akinesia find that episodes become more frequent and last longer. The prevailing perception of akinesia is that it is a consequence of dopamine depletion. However, some recent studies suggest that serotonin and norepinephrine are also depleted in people with aki-nesia due to Parkinson’s disease and are exploring the possible need to add therapies that raise the levels of these neurotransmitters as well. Akinesia also can be an adverse effect of medication therapies to treat other Parkinson’s symptoms, such as antipsychotics and other medications with dopamine antagonist actions. When this is the case, akinesia typically goes away when the drug is stopped.