Define the term - Hemiplegia

The characteristics of hemiplegia (again, hemi means "half") are loss of voluntary movements on one side of the body, changes in postural tone, and changes in the status of various reflexes. Hemiplegia results from damage to the neocortex and basal ganglia contralateral to the motor symptoms. In infancy, such damage may result from birth injury, epilepsy, or fever. In young adults, hemiplegia is usually caused by rupture of a congenital aneurysm or by an embolism, a tumor, or a head injury. Most cases of hemiplegia, however, are found in middle-aged to elderly people and are usually due to hemorrhaging as a consequence of high blood pressure and degeneration of the blood vessels