Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
Acute cerebellar ataxia (ACA) is a disorder that causes a sudden loss of control of movement due to disease or injury to the cerebellum. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that controls muscle movement and gait (a person’s pattern of walking). The termataxiarefers to uncoordinated and abnormal movements of the body.
The cerebellum is a major part of the brain and plays a vital role in controlling muscle movement and balance. The cerebellum is responsible for maintaining posture, coordinating gait, and controlling muscle tone. Although the cerebellum controls voluntary muscle movement, it does not initiate muscle contraction.
When the cerebellum becomes damaged, you can lose the ability to maintain your posture and control of fine movements, such as picking up a fork. Your motor learning can also be affected, making it difficult to learn new physical skills like running or throwing a ball.
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Types of Acute Cerebellar Ataxia
In adults, acute cerebellar ataxia is less common but still can occur, especially in patients who have suffered a stroke or another disease process that affects the brain.
Acute Cerebellar Ataxia Symptoms
Although ataxia, or an unsteady gait, can occur after damage to any part of the central nervous system, damage to the cerebellum causes distinct symptoms.
If you have acute cerebellar ataxia, you may walk with your feet farther apart. This is clinically referred to as a “broadened base.”
Often with ACA, you will appear to walk as if you are drunk. Since drinking alcohol affects the main nerve cells in the cerebellum, it is no coincidence that walking with these two conditions looks similar. The difference is that stumbling while intoxicated is usually reversible and goes away once the alcohol has processed through your system.
Other common symptoms of acute cerebellar ataxia include:
Because ataxia itself can be due to a variety of different causes, acute cerebellar ataxia often needs a full diagnostic workup in order to rule out any potentially life-threatening causes.
The most common viruses that cause ACA in children are:
Other causes of acute cerebellar ataxia include but are not limited to:
To diagnose the cause of acute cerebellar ataxia, your doctor will conduct a full examination and take a thorough history. They will ask if you have recently been sick or have had a head injury. They may also ask about drug and alcohol use.
After taking your history, your doctor will conduct aneurological examinationto help determine the parts of the nervous system that are most affected.
The neurological examination can include a finger-to-nose test or a finger-to-finger test, in which you either touch the tips of your finger either to your nose or to the finger of the opposite hand.
You may be asked to slide your heel along your shin up to the knee while lying down. Your healthcare provider may also test for the Romberg sign, which is the tendency to fall down while standing with your eyes closed. Additionally, they may check how well your eyes are able to follow moving objects.
Your doctor may have you hold a full glass of water with a steady hand without any water spilling. If the water spills, that can be a sign your cerebellum is affected.
After a thorough examination, your doctor may also order other tests which can include:
Treatment for acute cerebellar ataxia depends on the cause:
Experiencing permanent symptoms of ACA can put you at a higher risk foranxietyanddepression. Seeing a therapist may help you manage your life in a way that doesn’t diminish its quality.
You may also find that a support group may make you feel less alone. Talking with others who have similar struggles can help you find ways to live with your symptoms and cope with the unpredictability of life with a chronic illness.
Summary
If you or your child experience symptoms of ataxia, it is important to seek medical care immediately to get a proper diagnosis and to begin a treatment plan, if necessary.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jimsheleishvili S, Dididze M.Neuroanatomy, cerebellum. StatPearls.Desai J, Mitchell WG.Acute cerebellar ataxia, acute cerebellitis, and opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.J Child Neurol. 2012 Nov;27(11):1482-8. doi:10.1177/0883073812450318.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ataxia overview.MedlinePlus.Acute cerebellar ataxia.Doan TT, Masom CP, Mazzaccaro RJ, Kane KE.Acute Cerebellar Ataxia: An Unusual Pediatric Case. J Emerg Med. 2016 May;50(5):769-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.01.025. PMID: 26899517.Pavone P, Praticò A, Pavone V et al.Ataxia in children: early recognition and clinical evaluation.Ital J Pediatr. 2017;43(1). doi:10.1186/s13052-016-0325-9Garza M, Piquet AL.Update in autoimmune movement disorders: newly described antigen targets in autoimmune and paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia.Front Neurol. 2021;12:683048. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.683048Hadjivassiliou M, Grünewald R, Sanders D, et al.The significance of low titre antigliadin antibodies in the diagnosis of gluten ataxia.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1444. doi:10.3390/nu10101444
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jimsheleishvili S, Dididze M.Neuroanatomy, cerebellum. StatPearls.Desai J, Mitchell WG.Acute cerebellar ataxia, acute cerebellitis, and opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.J Child Neurol. 2012 Nov;27(11):1482-8. doi:10.1177/0883073812450318.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ataxia overview.MedlinePlus.Acute cerebellar ataxia.Doan TT, Masom CP, Mazzaccaro RJ, Kane KE.Acute Cerebellar Ataxia: An Unusual Pediatric Case. J Emerg Med. 2016 May;50(5):769-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.01.025. PMID: 26899517.Pavone P, Praticò A, Pavone V et al.Ataxia in children: early recognition and clinical evaluation.Ital J Pediatr. 2017;43(1). doi:10.1186/s13052-016-0325-9Garza M, Piquet AL.Update in autoimmune movement disorders: newly described antigen targets in autoimmune and paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia.Front Neurol. 2021;12:683048. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.683048Hadjivassiliou M, Grünewald R, Sanders D, et al.The significance of low titre antigliadin antibodies in the diagnosis of gluten ataxia.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1444. doi:10.3390/nu10101444
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Jimsheleishvili S, Dididze M.Neuroanatomy, cerebellum. StatPearls.Desai J, Mitchell WG.Acute cerebellar ataxia, acute cerebellitis, and opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.J Child Neurol. 2012 Nov;27(11):1482-8. doi:10.1177/0883073812450318.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ataxia overview.MedlinePlus.Acute cerebellar ataxia.Doan TT, Masom CP, Mazzaccaro RJ, Kane KE.Acute Cerebellar Ataxia: An Unusual Pediatric Case. J Emerg Med. 2016 May;50(5):769-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.01.025. PMID: 26899517.Pavone P, Praticò A, Pavone V et al.Ataxia in children: early recognition and clinical evaluation.Ital J Pediatr. 2017;43(1). doi:10.1186/s13052-016-0325-9Garza M, Piquet AL.Update in autoimmune movement disorders: newly described antigen targets in autoimmune and paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia.Front Neurol. 2021;12:683048. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.683048Hadjivassiliou M, Grünewald R, Sanders D, et al.The significance of low titre antigliadin antibodies in the diagnosis of gluten ataxia.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1444. doi:10.3390/nu10101444
Jimsheleishvili S, Dididze M.Neuroanatomy, cerebellum. StatPearls.
Desai J, Mitchell WG.Acute cerebellar ataxia, acute cerebellitis, and opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome.J Child Neurol. 2012 Nov;27(11):1482-8. doi:10.1177/0883073812450318.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ataxia overview.
MedlinePlus.Acute cerebellar ataxia.
Doan TT, Masom CP, Mazzaccaro RJ, Kane KE.Acute Cerebellar Ataxia: An Unusual Pediatric Case. J Emerg Med. 2016 May;50(5):769-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2016.01.025. PMID: 26899517.
Pavone P, Praticò A, Pavone V et al.Ataxia in children: early recognition and clinical evaluation.Ital J Pediatr. 2017;43(1). doi:10.1186/s13052-016-0325-9
Garza M, Piquet AL.Update in autoimmune movement disorders: newly described antigen targets in autoimmune and paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia.Front Neurol. 2021;12:683048. doi:10.3389/fneur.2021.683048
Hadjivassiliou M, Grünewald R, Sanders D, et al.The significance of low titre antigliadin antibodies in the diagnosis of gluten ataxia.Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1444. doi:10.3390/nu10101444
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