What is the term for the inability to perform purposeful movement despite having no muscular or sensory disturbance?

Apraxia refers to the condition where an individual is unable to perform purposeful movements, even though their muscles and sensory functions are intact. This neurological disorder is often due to damage in areas of the brain that are responsible for planning and coordinating movements, rather than due to weakness or loss of sensation.

In apraxia, the person may know what they want to do and understand the task, but they struggle to execute it, indicating that the motor pathways are functioning correctly, yet the brain's ability to organize and plan those movements is disrupted.

This condition can manifest in various forms, such as ideomotor apraxia, where a person has difficulty miming actions, or dressing apraxia, where a person struggles with getting dressed. Understanding the distinction of apraxia is essential, particularly in the context of neurological assessments and rehabilitation strategies.