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Ataxia
Ataxia 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. Ataxia is a clinical manifestation indicating dysfunction of the parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum. Ataxia can be limited to one side of the body, which is referred to as hemiataxia. Several possible causes exist for these patterns of neurological dysfunction. Dystaxia is a mild degree of ataxia. Friedreich's ataxia has gait abnormality as the most commonly presented symptom. The word is from Greek α- negative prefix+ -τάξις rder= "lack of order". Types Cerebellar The term cerebellar ataxia is used to indicate ataxia due to dysfunction of the cerebellum. The cerebellum is responsible for integrating a significant amount of neural information that is used to coordinate smoothly ongoing movements and to participate in motor planning. Although a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Friedreich's Ataxia
Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA or FA) is an autosomal-recessive genetic disease that causes difficulty walking, a loss of sensation in the arms and legs, and impaired speech that worsens over time. Symptoms generally start between 5 and 20 years of age. Many develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and require a mobility aid such as a cane, walker, or wheelchair in their teens. As the disease progresses, some affected people lose their sight and hearing. Other complications may include scoliosis and diabetes mellitus. The condition is caused by mutations in the ''FXN'' gene on chromosome 9, which makes a protein called frataxin. In FRDA, cells produce less frataxin. Degeneration of nerve tissue in the spinal cord causes the ataxia; particularly affected are the sensory neurons essential for directing muscle movement of the arms and legs through connections with the cerebellum. The spinal cord becomes thinner, and nerve cells lose some myelin sheath. No effective treatment is kn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cerebellar Ataxia
Cerebellar ataxia is a form of ataxia originating in the cerebellum. 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. Lesions to the cerebellum can cause dyssynergia, dysmetria, dysdiadochokinesia, dysarthria and ataxia of stance and gait. Deficits are observed with movements on the same side of the body as the lesion (ipsilateral). Clinicians often use visual observation of people performing motor tasks in order to look for signs of ataxia. Signs and symptoms Damage to the cerebellum causes impairment in motor skills and can cause nystagmus. Almost a third of people with isolated, late onset cerebellar ataxia go on to develop multiple system atrophy. The cerebellum's role has been observed as not purely motor. It is combined with intellect, emotion and planning. Cerebellar defi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vestibulocerebellar Syndrome
Vestibulocerebellar syndrome, also known as vestibulocerebellar ataxia, is a progressive neurological disorder that causes a variety of medical problems. Initially symptoms present as periodic attacks of abnormal eye movements but may intensify to longer-lasting motor incapacity. The disorder has been localized to the vestibulocerebellum, specifically the flocculonodular lobe. Symptoms of vestibulocerebellar syndrome may appear in early childhood but the full onset of neurological symptoms including nystagmus (involuntary eye movement), ataxia (loss of voluntary muscle coordination), and tinnitus (perception of sound in the absence of external stimulation) does not occur until early adulthood. To date, vestibulocerebellar syndrome has only been identified in three families but has affected multiple generations within them. Based on the familial pedigrees it has been characterized as an autosomal dominant disorder, although the exact genetic locus has not been identified. It has be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dyschronometria
Dyschronometria is a condition of cerebellum, cerebellar dysfunction in which an individual cannot accurately estimate the amount of time that has passed (i.e., distorted time perception). It is associated with cerebellar ataxia, when the cerebellum has been damaged and does not function to its fullest ability. Lesions to the cerebellum can cause dyssynergia, dysmetria, dysdiadochokinesia, dysarthria, and ataxia of stance and gait. Dyschronometria can result from autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (ADCA). Signs and symptoms Common signs of dyschronometria are often generic to cerebellar ataxia, including a lack of spatial awareness, poor short term memory, and inability to keep track of time. The defining symptoms, while not completely understood, involve time perception. For example, when asked to wait for thirty seconds, or tap every second that has gone by, those affected will be able to perform the task for a short time and then become derailed. This can result from a lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cerebellum
The cerebellum (Latin for "little brain") is a major feature of the hindbrain of all vertebrates. Although usually smaller than the cerebrum, in some animals such as the mormyrid fishes it may be as large as or even larger. In humans, the cerebellum plays an important role in motor control. It may also be involved in some cognition, cognitive functions such as attention and language as well as emotion, emotional control such as regulating fear and pleasure responses, but its movement-related functions are the most solidly established. The human cerebellum does not initiate movement, but contributes to Motor coordination, coordination, precision, and accurate timing: it receives input from sensory systems of the spinal cord and from other parts of the brain, and integrates these inputs to fine-tune motor activity. Cerebellar damage produces disorders in Fine motor skill, fine movement, Equilibrioception, equilibrium, Human positions, posture, and motor learning in humans. Anatomica ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dysmetria
Dysmetria ( en, wrong length) is a lack of coordination of movement typified by the undershoot or overshoot of intended position with the hand, arm, leg, or eye. It is a type of ataxia. It can also include an inability to judge distance or scale. Hypermetria and hypometria are, respectively, overshooting and undershooting the intended position. Presentation Associated diseases Dysmetria is often found in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and persons who have had tumors or strokes. Persons who have been diagnosed with autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia (SCAs) also exhibit dysmetria. There are many types of SCAs and though many exhibit similar symptoms (one being dysmetria), they are considered to be heterogeneous. Friedreich's ataxia is a well-known SCA in which children have dysmetria. Cerebellar malformations extending to the brainstem can also present with dysmetria. Causes The actual cause of dysmetria is thought to be ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a speech sound disorder resulting from neurological injury of the motor component of the motor–speech system and is characterized by poor articulation of phonemes. In other words, it is a condition in which problems effectively occur with the muscles that help produce speech, often making it very difficult to pronounce words. It is unrelated to problems with understanding language (that is, dysphasia or aphasia), although a person can have both. Any of the speech subsystems (respiration, phonation, resonance, prosody, and articulation) can be affected, leading to impairments in intelligibility, audibility, naturalness, and efficiency of vocal communication. Dysarthria that has progressed to a total loss of speech is referred to as anarthria. The term ''dysarthria'' is from New Latin, ''dys-'' "dysfunctional, impaired" and ''arthr-'' "joint, vocal articulation". Neurological injury due to damage in the central or peripheral nervous system may result in weakness ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a speech sound disorder resulting from neurological injury of the motor component of the motor–speech system and is characterized by poor articulation of phonemes. In other words, it is a condition in which problems effectively occur with the muscles that help produce speech, often making it very difficult to pronounce words. It is unrelated to problems with understanding language (that is, dysphasia or aphasia), although a person can have both. Any of the speech subsystems (respiration, phonation, resonance, prosody, and articulation) can be affected, leading to impairments in intelligibility, audibility, naturalness, and efficiency of vocal communication. Dysarthria that has progressed to a total loss of speech is referred to as anarthria. The term ''dysarthria'' is from New Latin, ''dys-'' "dysfunctional, impaired" and ''arthr-'' "joint, vocal articulation". Neurological injury due to damage in the central or peripheral nervous system may result in weakness ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dysdiadochokinesia
Dysdiadochokinesia (DDK) is the medical term for an impaired ability to perform rapid, alternating movements (i.e., diadochokinesia). Complete inability is called adiadochokinesia. The term is from Greek ''δυς'' ''dys'' "bad", ''διάδοχος'' ''diadochos'' "succeeding", ''κίνησις'' ''kinesis'' "movement". Signs and symptoms Abnormalities in diadochokinesia can be seen in the upper extremity, lower extremity and in speech. The deficits become visible in the rate of alternation, the completeness of the sequence, and in the variation in amplitude involving both motor coordination and sequencing. Average rate can be used as a measure of performance when testing for dysdiadochokinesia. Dysdiadochokinesia is demonstrated clinically by asking the patient to tap the palm of one hand with the fingers of the other, then rapidly turn over the fingers and tap the palm with the back of them, repeatedly. This movement is known as a pronation/supination test of the upper extremity. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tandem Gait
Tandem gait is a gait (method of walking or running) where the toes of the first foot touch the heel of the next one at each step. Neurologists sometimes ask patients to walk in a straight line using tandem gait as a test to help diagnose ataxia, especially truncal ataxia, because sufferers of these disorders will have an unsteady gait. However, the results are not definitive, because many disorders or problems can cause unsteady gait (such as vision difficulties and problems with the motor neurons or associative cortex). Therefore, inability to walk correctly in tandem gait does not prove the presence of ataxia. Profoundly affected tandem gait with no other perceptible deficits is a defining feature of posterior vermal split syndrome. Suspects may also be asked to perform a tandem gait walk during the "walk and turn" part of a field sobriety test Field sobriety tests (FSTs), also referred to as standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs), are a battery of tests used by police off ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Titubation
A tremor is an involuntary, somewhat rhythmic, muscle contraction and relaxation involving oscillations or twitching movements of one or more body parts. It is the most common of all involuntary movements and can affect the hands, arms, eyes, face, head, vocal folds, trunk, and legs. Most tremors occur in the hands. In some people, a tremor is a symptom of another neurological disorder. A very common tremor is the teeth chattering, usually induced by cold temperatures or by fear. Types Tremor is most commonly classified by clinical features and cause or origin. Some of the better-known forms of tremor, with their symptoms, include the following: * Cerebellar tremor (also known as intention tremor) is a slow, broad tremor of the extremities that occurs at the end of a purposeful movement, such as trying to press a button or touching a finger to the tip of one's nose. Cerebellar tremor is caused by lesions in or damage to the cerebellum resulting from stroke, tumor, or disease such ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asynergy
Dyssynergia is any disturbance of muscular coordination, resulting in uncoordinated and abrupt movements. This is also an aspect of ataxia. It is typical for dyssynergic patients to split a movement into several smaller movements. Types of dyssynergia include Ramsay Hunt syndrome type 1, bladder sphincter dyssynergia, and anal sphincter dyssynergia. Dyssynergia can be caused by disruption or damage between the cerebellum and the sacral spinal cord. Damage to the spinal cord can be caused by injury or acquired through hereditary means such as myelodysplasia. Other hereditary means of dyssynergia can be from multiple sclerosis and various manifestations of transverse myelitis. In addition, most brain damage to the cerebellum will cause dyssynergia. The cerebellum is split into three separate parts: the archicerebellum (controls equilibrium and helps to move the eye, head and neck), midline vermis (helps to move lower body), and lateral hemisphere (control of arms and quick movem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
