Question

Damage to the Supplementary Motor Area can impair a patient’s capacity for volitional movement.

a) Describe the conditions necessary to elicit evidence of such impairment?

b) What conditions typically do NOT impair voluntary movements in the same patient?

Answer 1

a] Volitional movement is a movement made by choice. When a person decides and intends to move or do a particular action it comes under the category of volitional movement. It involves the cognitive parts of the brain. Impairments Impairments in volitional movements present themselves as hyperkinetic movement disorders which is characterized by excessive and abnormal involuntary movements like continuous shaking of legs, muscular spasms and abnormal body posture, repetitive movement of hands, uncontrolled blinking of the eyes etc. It seems that the person has lost control over concious movement.

b] Voluntary movements are those which are under the control of our will. The skeletal muscles are voluntary and help in all sorts of voluntary movements. The motor cortex of the brain is responsible for controlling voluntary movement. So, if the motor cortex of the person is not damaged or impaired, the voluntary movements will not be affected in the same person.