| saltatory spasm | A spasmodic affection of the muscles of the lower extremities. Synonym: Bamberger's disease, dancing spasm, Gowers disease. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| saltatory | Leaping or dancing; having the power of, or used in, leaping or dancing. <biology> Saltatory evolution, an affection in which pressure of the foot on a floor causes the patient to spring into the air, so as to make repeated involuntary motions of hopping and jumping. Origin: L. Saltatorius. See Saltant, and cf. Saltire. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| saltatory chorea | Rhythmic dancing movements, as in procursive chorea. (05 Mar 2000) |
| saltatory conduction | A method of neuronal transmission in vertebrate nerves, where only specialised nodes of Ranvier participate in excitation. This reduces the capacitance of the neuron, allowing much faster transmission. See: myelin, Schwann cells. (18 Nov 1997) |
| saltatory evolution | The theory that evolution of a new species from an older one may occur as a large jump, such as a major repatterning of chromosomes, rather than by gradual accumulation of small steps or mutations. Compare: emergent evolution. (05 Mar 2000) |
| saltatory movement | Abrupt jumping movements of the sort shown by some intracellular particles. Mechanism unclear. (18 Nov 1997) |
| saltatory replication | The sudden amplification of a DNA sequence to generate many copies in a tandem arrangement. Possible mechanism for the origin of satellite DNA. (18 Nov 1997) |
| anorectal spasm | Painful spasm of the muscle about the anus without known cause; probably a neurosis. Synonym: anorectal spasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Bell's spasm | Involuntary twitching of the facial muscles, sometimes unilateral. Synonym: Bell's spasm, convulsive tic, facial spasm, histrionic spasm, mimic convulsion, mimic spasm, mimic tic, palmus, prosopospasm. (05 Mar 2000) |
| bronchial spasm | Spasmodic contraction of the smooth muscle of the bronchi. (12 Dec 1998) |
| cadaveric spasm | Rigor mortis occurring irregularly in the different muscles, causing movements of the limbs. (05 Mar 2000) |
| canine spasm | The semblance of a grin caused by facial spasm especially in tetanus. Synonym: canine spasm, cynic spasm, risus sardonicus, sardonic grin, spasmus caninus, trismus sardonicus. Origin: L. Risus, laugh + caninus, doglike (05 Mar 2000) |
| vasomotor spasm | Spasmodic contraction of the smaller arteries. (05 Mar 2000) |
| carpopedal spasm | <clinical sign> Spasms of the hands or feet that may be seen in association with hypocalcaemia or hyperventilation. (08 Jan 1998) |
| masticatory spasm | Involuntary convulsive muscular contraction affecting the muscles of mastication. (05 Mar 2000) |
| retrocollic spasm | Torticollis in which the spasm affects the posterior neck muscles. Synonym: retrocollis. (05 Mar 2000) |