Ailmemts & Remedies


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Ataxia (from Greek , meaning “lack of order”) is a neurological sign and symptom consisting of gross lack of coordination of muscle movements. Ataxia is a non-specific clinical manifestation implying dysfunction of parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum. Several possible causes exist for these patterns of neurological dysfunction. The term “dystaxia” is rarely used as a synonym.

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Types of ataxia:-

#Cerebellar ataxia:

*Dysfunction of the vestibulocerebellum impairs balance and control of eye movements. This presents with postural instability, in which the person tends to separate the feet on standing to gain a wider base and avoid oscillations (especially posterior-anterior ones); instability is therefore worsened when standing with the feet together (irrespective of whether the eyes are open or closed: this is a negative Romberg’s test, or more accurately, denotes the inability to carry out the test as the individual is unstable even with open eyes).

*Dysfunction of the spinocerebellum presents with a wide-based “drunken sailor” gait, characterised by uncertain start and stop, lateral deviations, and unequal steps. This part of the cerebellum regulates body and limb movements.


#Sensory ataxia:
The term sensory ataxia is employed to indicate ataxia due to loss of proprioception (sensitivity to joint and body part position), which generally depends on dysfunction of the dorsal columns of the spinal cord, since they carry proprioceptive information up to the brain; in some cases, the cause may instead be dysfunction of the various brain parts that receive that information, including the cerebellum, thalamus, and parietal lobes. Sensory ataxia presents with an unsteady “stomping” gait with heavy heel strikes, as well as postural instability that is characteristically worsened when the lack of proprioceptive input cannot be compensated by visual input, such as in poorly lit environments. Doctors can evidence this during physical examination by having the patient stand with his / her feet together and eyes shut, which will cause the patient’s instability to markedly worsen, producing wide oscillations and possibly a fall (this is called a positive Romberg’s test). Worsening of the finger-pointing test with the eyes closed is another feature of sensory ataxia. Also, when the patient is standing with arms and hands extended toward the examiner, if the eyes are closed, the patient’s finger will tend to “fall down” and be restored to the horizontal extended position by sudden extensor contractions (“ataxic hand”).

#Vestibular ataxia:


Initial ataxia symptoms usually include:
*Poor limb coordination.
*Dysarthria – slurred and slow speech that is difficult to produce. The patient may also have difficulties controlling volume, rhythm, and pitch.

If the ataxia advances other symptoms may also appear:

*Swallowing difficulties, which may sometimes result in choking or coughing.
*Facial expressions become less apparent.
*Tremors – parts of the body may shake or tremble unintentionally.
*Nystagmus – involuntary rapid rhythmic repetitious eye movement. Movements may be vertical, horizontal, or circular.
*Pes cavus – a foot with too high an arch.
*Cold feet – because of a lack of muscle activity.
*Problems with balance.
*Walking difficulties – in severe cases the patient may need a wheelchair.
*Vision problems.
*Hearing problems.
*Depression – as a result of having to live and cope with the symptoms.

Cerebellar ataxias:

Ataxia telangiectasia symptoms generally include:
*Small veins appear around the corner of the eyes, cheeks and ears.
*Physical and sexual development is usually delayed.

Friedreich’s ataxia symptoms generally include:
*The spine curves sideways (scoliosis).
*The heart muscle becomes weaker (cardiomyopathy).


When to see a doctor:-
If you aren’t aware of having a condition that causes ataxia, such as multiple sclerosis, see your doctor if you:

*Lose balance
*Lose muscle coordination in a hand, arm or leg
*Have difficulty walking
*Slur your speech
*Have difficulty swallowing


Focal lesions

Exogenous substances
Exogenous substances that cause ataxia mainly do so because they have a depressant effect on central nervous system function. The most common example is ethanol, which is capable of causing reversible cerebellar and vestibular ataxia. Other examples include various prescription drugs (e.g. most antiepileptic drugs have cerebellar ataxia as a possible adverse effect), marijuana ingestion[2] and various other recreational drugs (e.g. ketamine, PCP or dextromethorphan, all of which are NMDA receptor antagonists that produce a dissociative state at high doses).

Vitamin B12 deficiency

Causes of isolated sensory ataxia


Non-hereditary cerebellar degeneration
Non-hereditary causes of cerebellar degeneration include chronic ethanol abuse, paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration, high altitude cerebral oedema, coeliac disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus and cerebellitis.

Hereditary ataxias

GeneReview/NIH/UW entry on Hereditary Ataxia Overview

Arnold-Chiari Malformation



#Urine tests. Examining a sample of your urine under a microscope (urinalysis) may suggest certain systemic abnormalities that can be related to some forms of ataxia. If your doctor suspects Wilson’s disease, you may be asked for a 24-hour urine collection to help determine the amount of copper in your system.






#Orthopedic care – this can help patients with curvature of the spine (scoliosis).

Physical therapy (physiotherapy) – a physical therapist (physiotherapist) can help maintain strength and improve mobility.

#Physical therapy to help you build strength and enhance your mobility
#Occupational therapy to help you with daily living tasks, such as feeding yourself
#Speech therapy to improve speech and aid swallowing




Coping and support:-

Although support groups aren’t for everyone, they can be good sources of information. Group members often know about the latest treatments and tend to share their own experiences. If you’re interested, your doctor may be able to recommend a group in your area.

Other uses of the term:-
The term “ataxia” is sometimes used in a broader sense to indicate lack of coordination in some physiological process. Examples include optic ataxia (lack of coordination between visual inputs and hand movements, resulting in inability to reach and grab objects, usually part of Balint’s syndrome, but can be seen in isolation with injuries to the superior parietal lobule, as it represents a disconnection between visual-association cortex and the frontal premotor and motor cortex), and ataxic respiration (lack of coordination in respiratory movements, usually due to dysfunction of the respiratory centres in the medulla oblongata).

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