Lower that normal muscle tone as assessed by the manipulation or palpation of body parts. One interpretation of its aetiology is that is arises from damage of afferent input from stretch receptors or the regulatory efferent influence of the cerebellum on the infrafusal muscle fibers, thus controlling the sensitivity of muscle spindles. Instances of hypotonia ingerited and include Down’s syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Marfan syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, Rett syndrome, Tach-Sachs disease, and Williams syndrome. It can also be a reflection of cerebral palsy. In general, there are two sorts of hypotonia: central hypotonia with decreased muscle tone due to neural signals in the cortex and spinal cord, and peripheral hypotonia where decreased muscle tone occurs as a result of between the spindle cord and muscle (or abnormalities in the muscle itself).
See Cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, Dystonia, Fragile X syndrome, Hyperextension, Intrafusal muscle fibers, Hypertonia, Marfan syndrome, Muscle tone (or power), Prader-Willi syndrome, Preterm infant, Spasticity, Stretches, Tay-Sachs disease, Williams syndrome