2027 notes

Ataxia

Clumsiness or lack of balance not due to muscle weakness.

Cerebellum Function

Coordinates muscles, balance, detects balance changes, and times muscle movements.

Types of Ataxia

Acquired (external causes), Genetic (DNA-related), and Idiopathic (unknown causes).

Stroke and Ataxia

Ataxic stroke may not show classical stroke signs like slurred speech or hemiparesis.

Assessment Tests

Include finger-to-nose, heel-to-shin, and spinocerebellar ataxia tests.

Prognosis of Ataxia

Hereditary ataxia usually has a shorter lifespan; acquired ataxia prognosis depends on the cause.

Impairments in Ataxia

Include dysmetria, dyssynergia, dysarthria, dysdiadochokinesia, and nystagmus.

Non-Motor Symptoms

Include psychiatric disorders, cognitive deficits, sleep disorders, fatigue, pain syndromes, and autonomic dysfunction.

Cerebellar Anatomy and Ataxia

Different cerebellar regions lead to specific ataxic presentations.

Ataxic Gait

Characterized by wide base of support, irregular speed, step length, and incoordination between hip, knee, and ankle movements.

Gait disturbance/imbalance

Difficulty in walking or maintaining balance while sitting or standing.

Intention tremor

Involuntary shaking of a body part during purposeful movements.

Paresthesia

Abnormal sensations like tingling or numbness.

Vestibular signs

Symptoms related to the inner ear affecting balance, such as vertigo and nystagmus.

Cerebellar signs

Indicators of cerebellum dysfunction like ataxic gait and wide stance.

Proprioceptive sensory system

Sensory system providing feedback on body position and movement.

SARA

Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia, measuring impairment and activity limitation.

ICARS

International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale, assessing impairment and activity limitation.

Berg balance scale

Tool for evaluating balance and activity limitation.

Neural plasticity

Ability of the nervous system to adapt and reorganize in response to injury or disease.