Paralysis of voluntary muscles means loss of contraction due to interruption of one or more motor pathways from the brain to the muscle fibers. Although the word paralysis is often used interchangeably to mean either complete or partial loss of muscle strength, it is preferable to use paralysis or plegia for complete or severe loss of muscle strength, and paresis for partial or slight loss. Paralysis due to lesions of the principle motor tracts is related to a lesion in the corticospinal, corticobulbar or brainstem descending (subcorticospinal) neurons. [ HPO:probinson ]