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Ataxia

Overview

Ataxia is a neurological disorder that causes imbalance while walking or incoordination while using hands and legs. It may be due to disorders of cerebellum and its pathways.

  • Toxins such as- alcohol, drugs like phenytoin and lithium, mercury, cyanide, and others
  • Vascular- ischemic or haemorrhagic stroke
  • Inflammatory- demyelinating disorders
  • Malignancy- primary brain tumours/ metastasis/ paraneoplastic syndromes
  • Infections- herpes/ measles
  • Neuro-degenerative diseases like Multiple System Atrophy Cerebellar type (MSA-C) and Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs)
  • Nutritional- vitamin E deficiency, Wernicke’s encephalopathy
  • Loss of joint position sense secondary to involvement of peripheral nerves or spinal cord
  • Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
  • Paraproteinemic neuropathy
  • Disorders of metabolism- Refsum’s disease
  • Sensory ganglionopathy- paraneoplastic or Sjogren’s syndrome
  • Spinal cord disorder- spondylosis or demyelination

  • Excessive and chronic alcohol intake
  • Hypothyroidism/hypoparathyroidism
  • Celiac disease (an illness due to immune reaction to gluten)
  • Sarcoidosis (a disease that causes inflammatory cells to build up in parts of the body)
  • Multiple system atrophy
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Intake of anti-seizure sedatives and medications
  • Cancer-triggered paraneoplastic syndrome
  • Exposure to heavy metals (mercury or lead) or solvents (paint thinner)
  • Deficiency of vitamin E, B6, B12, or B1
  • Getting too much vitamin B-6

Neurologist

  • Physical and neurological exams
  • Blood tests
  • Genetic testing
  • Imaging studies

  • Treatment is based on the underlying conditions
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