A Rare Cause of a Treatable Abnormal Movement, Not to Miss

Abstract

Parkinsonism is a syndrome composed of tremor at rest, bradykinesia, rigidity, loss of postural reflexes, flexed posture, and freezing. 1 There are various acquired etiologies causing parkinsonism, such as dopaminergic blocking agents, cerebrovascular diseases, brain neoplasm, the intoxication of various toxins, brain trauma, and metabolic disturbances.Abnormal calcium metabolism causing hypo-or hypercalcemia can lead to adverse effects of the human nervous system. Although neurological manifestations of hypercalcemia mainly present as an alteration of consciousness or depression, the manifestations of hypocalcemia range from muscle twitching, spasms, tetanic contraction, numbness, altered mental status, encephalopathy, and seizures. 2,3 Movement disorders, such as chorea and parkinsonism, are unusual complications of hypocalcemia. Herein, we report a case of hypocalcemia attributed to postthyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism that presented with acute parkinsonism and psychomotor retardation. Those symptoms were dramatically improved after correcting hypocalcemia.