spastic paralysis definition of spastic paralysis in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

spastic paralysis, form of paralysis in which the part of the nervous system nervous system, network of specialized tissue that controls actions and reactions of the body and its adjustment to the environment. Virtually all members of the animal kingdom have at least a rudimentary nervous system.
..... Click the link for more information. that controls coordinated movement of the voluntary muscles is disabled. In spastic paralysis the nerves controlling muscle movement are hyperirritable and do not function in a coordinated manner, so that impulses from them cause spasmodic muscle contraction. Extreme spastic paralysis occurs after various kinds of brain damage, e.g., stroke stroke, destruction of brain tissue as a result of intracerebral hemorrhage or infarction caused by thrombosis (clotting) or embolus (obstruction in a blood vessel caused by clotted blood or other foreign matter circulating in the bloodstream); formerly called
..... Click the link for more information. . Spinal cord injury, such as that produced by inflammatory diseases of nerve tissue, can injure motor neuron fibers in the spine and cause spastic paralysis. Congenital spastic paralysis, or cerebral palsy cerebral palsy (sərē`brəl pôl`zē)
..... Click the link for more information. , is often a result of intrauterine disease or birth injury, or occasionally some inherited nervous system defect.

spastic paralysis [′spas·tik pə′ral·ə·səs]

(medicine)

A condition in which a group of muscles manifest increased tone, exaggerated tendon reflexes, depressed or absent superficial reflexes, and sometimes clonus, due to an upper motor neuron lesion. Also known as spasticity.