What Is Ataxia?
Ataxia is a neurological symptom that means poor balance. The most common type of ataxia is cerebellar ataxia. It is caused by a problem in the cerebellum. The cerebellum is a structure located in the back of the brain.
What Are The Symptoms Of Cerebellar Ataxia?
Cerebellar ataxia can cause multiple symptoms:
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Difficulty with fine motor tasks and reaching for objects
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Dizziness
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Vision problems such as shaking vision
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Slurred speech
What Are The Causes Of Cerebellar Ataxia?
Anything that causes damage to the cerebellum can also cause cerebellar ataxia:
- Inherited or genetic ataxia—the most common form of cerebellar ataxia
- Prolonged excessive alcohol consumption
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Medication side effects such as from seizure medications and certain antibiotics
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Exposure to toxins such as heavy metals
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Cancer and tumors located in the brain or other body areas may cause ataxia. These cancers and tumors may produce abnormal antibodies that travel through your blood and cause damage to the cerebellum.
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Autoimmune diseases
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Neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple system atrophy (MSA)
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How is Ataxia Diagnosed?
Ataxia is diagnosed based on your symptoms and your neurological exam. Brain imaging such as an MRI can show shrinkage in your cerebellum. Your doctor may also order various other tests such as blood tests and genetic testing to try to find out the cause of your ataxia.
How is Ataxia Treated?
What kind of treatment you receive depends on the cause of your ataxia. Many ataxias do not have a cure. However, there are still treatments that can help control and improve some of the bothersome symptoms:
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Oral medications
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Occupational therapy
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Speech therapy
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Searching for the Cures and Causes of Spinocerebellar Ataxias
When he discovered the gene, Stefan Pulst, MD, thought the therapy would come quickly but finding the gene was only the beginning of the journey. In this episode of Where Cures for Brain Disease Begin, Dr. Pulst and Stacey L. Clardy, MD, discuss Stefan’s work on spinocerebellar ataxias, gene discovery, and clinical treatment trials.