Definition Ataxia describes a lack of muscle control during voluntary movements, such as walking or picking up objects. A sign of an underlying condition, ataxia can affect movement, speech, eye movement and swallowing. Persistent ataxia usually results from damage to your cerebellum the part of your brain that controls muscle coordination. Many conditions can cause ataxia, including alcohol abuse, stroke, tumor, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis. An inherited defective gene also can cause ataxia. Treatment for ataxia depends on the cause. Adaptive devices, such as walkers or canes, might help you maintain your independence. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy also might help. Ataxia can develop over time or come on suddenly. Ataxia, a sign of a number of neurological disorders, may cause: If you aren't aware of having a condition that causes ataxia, such as multiple sclerosis, see your doctor if you: Damage, degeneration or loss of nerve cells in the part of your brain that controls muscle coordination (cerebellum), results in ataxia. Your cerebellum comprises two pingpong-ball-sized portions of folded tissue situated at the base of your brain near your brainstem. The right side of your cerebellum controls coordination on the right side of your body; the … Continue reading →

Toggle: English / Spanish Cerebellar ataxia; Ataxia - acute cerebellar; Cerebellitis; Post-varicella acute cerebellar ataxia; PVACA Acute cerebellar ataxia in children, especially younger than age 3, may occur several weeks after an illness caused by a virus. Viral infections that may cause this include Other causes of acute cerebellar ataxia include: Ataxia may affect movement of the middle part of the body from the neck to the hip area (the trunk) or the arms and legs (limbs). When the person is sitting, the body may move side-to-side, back-to-front, or both. Then the body quickly moves back to an upright position. When a person with ataxia of the arms reaches for an object, the hand may sway back and forth. Common symptoms of ataxia include: The doctor will ask if the person has recently been sick and will try to rule out any other causes of the problem. Brain and nervous system examination will be done to identify the areas of the nervous system that are most affected. The following tests may be ordered: Treatment depends on the cause: People whose condition was caused by a recent viral infection should make a full recovery without treatment in a few months. Strokes, … Continue reading →

Ataxia is a movement disorder resulting from uncoordinated movements in the arms or legs and inadequate postural control causing imbalances and walking disturbances. Ataxia can result from damage to several different motor or sensory regions of the central nervous system, as well as peripheral nerve pathology (Bastian 1997). In general, problems in the proprioceptive system, visual system and vestibular system, the cerebellum and/or any problem in the interconnections of these systems, can lead to ataxia. Ataxia has three subcategories: sensory, cerebella, and vestibular ataxia. Sensory ataxia is used to indicate ataxia due to loss of proprioception (sensitivity to joint and body part position). Cerebellar ataxia develops as a result of lesions to the cerebellum, and/or the afferent and efferent connections of the cerebellum. Vestibular ataxia develops as a result of peripheral or central diseases that directly affect the vestibular nuclei and/or the afferent and efferent connections of the vestibular nuclei. Vestibular ataxia may be accompanied by vertigo, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision and nystagmus due to the vestibular systems role in sensing and perceiving self-motion and stabilizing gaze via the vestibulo-ocular reflex (Horak&Shupert 1994). Some researchers regard frontal ataxia as the 4th category. Mixed ataxia involves symptoms of at least two … Continue reading →