Cerebellar Ataxia

Cerebellar Ataxia Overview

Ataxia describes the inability to control voluntary muscle movements, which can cause problems with balance, walking (gait), speech, swallowing, and eye movements. It is a sign of an underlying condition.

Persistent ataxia is usually due to disease or injury to the cerebellum, the part of the brain that coordinates voluntary movements.

Ataxia can also be caused by diseases that damage the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. This includes disorders such as spinocerebellar degeneration and multiple system atrophy.

Cerebellar Ataxia Symptoms

Symptoms, which can develop over time or begin suddenly, may include:

Unsteady walk
Difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as writing or buttoning a shirt
Changes in speech
Difficulty swallowing
Vision problems
Cognitive and emotional problems
Increased fatigue

Cerebellar Ataxia Treatments

Cerebellar ataxia is treated by addressing the underlying cause of the problems with your cerebellum. In some instances, like cerebellar inflammation caused by a viral infection, the condition will resolve on its own over time.

Other causes of cerebellar ataxia may require surgery or medication.

Physical, occupational, and speech therapies may be recommended if the underlying condition cannot be identified or treated.