Akinetic mut ism results from damage to the frontal lobes, anterior cingulate and ventricular area III.

It ischaracterised by a very profound depletion of motor activity, impaired language function, emotional disinhibition, and cognitive dysfunction. The decrease in motor mobility is not the result of damage to the neuronal connections that regulate and control it.

People suffering from akinetic mutism are awake and aroused, make eye contact, fixate their eyes but without turning their heads, but do not follow any commands, do not show even minimal motor activity, are immobile, have impoverished facial expressions and are completely silent.