Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Ataxia (from Greek α- [a negative prefix] + -τάξις [order] = "lack of order") is a neurological sign consisting of lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements that can include gait abnormality, speech changes, and abnormalities in eye movements, that indicates dysfunction of parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum.
Cerebellar ataxia is a form of ataxia originating in the cerebellum. [1] Non-progressive congenital ataxia (NPCA) is a classical presentation of cerebral ataxias. Cerebellar ataxia can occur as a result of many diseases and may present with symptoms of an inability to coordinate balance, gait, extremity and eye movements. [ 2 ]
As a result of this gait impairment, falling is a concern in patients with ataxia. [3] Truncal ataxia affects the muscles closer to the body such as the trunk, shoulder girdle and hip girdle. It is involved in gait stability. [3] Truncal ataxia is different from appendicular ataxia. Appendicular ataxia affects the movements of the arms and legs.
Signs and symptoms may not appear for decades after the initial infection and include weakness, diminished reflexes, paresthesias (shooting and burning pains, pricking sensations, and formication), hypoesthesias (abnormally diminished sense of touch), tabetic gait (locomotor ataxia), progressive degeneration of the joints, loss of coordination, episodes of intense pain and disturbed sensation ...
Sensory ataxia also lacks the associated features of cerebellar ataxia such as pendular tendon reflexes, scanning dysarthria, nystagmus and broken pursuit eye movements. [citation needed] Patients with sensory ataxia often demonstrate pseudoathetosis and Romberg's sign. They usually complain of loss of balance in the dark, typically when ...
Athetosis is a symptom primarily caused by the marbling, or degeneration of the basal ganglia. [citation needed] This degeneration is most commonly caused by complications at birth or by Huntington's disease, in addition to rare cases in which the damage may also arise later in life due to stroke or trauma.
The symptoms of an ataxia vary with the specific type and with the individual patient. Many subtypes of spinocerebellar ataxia result in cases where an individual retains full mental capacity but progressively loses physical control, but nearly half of the identified subtypes result in cognitive dysfunction, dementia, and mental retardation. [7]
A common motor syndrome that causes dysmetria is cerebellar motor syndrome, which also marked by impairments in gait (also known as ataxia), disordered eye movements, tremor, difficulty swallowing and poor articulation. [5] As stated above, cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS) also causes dysmetria.