What is cerebellar ataxia and how is it treated?

Cerebellar ataxia is a general term for impaired coordination of movements caused by pathological conditions that damage the cerebellum and its connections in the brainstem. There is no unified classification of cerebellar ataxia, because of the large number of pathological conditions that can affect the brain and its connections.

Experts most often distinguish three types of cerebellar ataxia:

• static-locomotor cerebellar ataxia: damage to the cerebellar vermis, which mainly shows up as disorders of balance and gait;
• dynamic cerebellar ataxia: predominant damage to the cerebellar hemispheres, which causes impaired performance of various voluntary movements of the limbs;
• Pierre Marie cerebellar ataxia: a hereditary degenerative disease affecting the cerebellum and its conduction pathways, which appears at the age of 20-30 years and older.

The ICD divides cerebellar ataxia into early-onset, late-onset, and ataxia with impaired DNA repair. Cerebellar ataxia is also classified by the form of the disease: with acute onset, with subacute onset (developing over a week or several weeks), chronically progressive (over several months or years: spinocerebellar, cortical cerebellar, and late-onset forms involving brainstem structures and other formations of the nervous system), paroxysmal episodic cerebellar ataxia in children, and episodic ataxia in adults.

Quality treatment of cerebellar ataxia in Kyiv is available at CSM Clinic. The neurologists of our full-cycle medical center will carry out precise diagnostics on expert-class equipment (MRI is available on the MAGNETOM Skyra Maximize 3T scanner with a 70 cm bore), provide a consultation, select the necessary treatment and rehabilitation programs, and adjust them over time if needed.

In addition, the disease can be hereditary.

Cerebellar ataxia in children and adults can also manifest as an inability to touch the nose with a finger with the eyes closed. A typical symptom in childhood is that the child stands with the feet wide apart and begins to sway when bringing them together.

Consequences of cerebellar ataxia

Cerebellar ataxia can lead to disability, a reduced quality of life, loss of the ability to care for oneself and to maintain a normal lifestyle (including the inability to work).

Diagnosis of cerebellar ataxia

If symptoms of cerebellar ataxia appear, a differential diagnosis of the causes of their appearance should be carried out.

After reviewing the medical history and performing a neurological examination, the specialist may prescribe additional tests. These include:

• CT or MRI of the brain (magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed more often because it provides clearer visualization);
• magnetic resonance angiography;
• Doppler ultrasound;
• ECG;
• consultations with specialists in other fields: an orthopedist-traumatologist, neurosurgeon, oncologist, endocrinologist, etc.

Sometimes laboratory diagnostics are recommended (including genetic analysis and a blood sterility test).

At the doctor's discretion, other types of diagnostics may also be performed, aimed primarily at identifying the primary pathology.

How cerebellar ataxia is treated

Treatment of cerebellar ataxia is not therapy for the impaired coordination of movement as such, but elimination of the primary pathology. That is why a treatment plan is drawn up only after the disease that caused the cerebellar ataxia has been identified.

Therefore, the treatment approach may include a variety of methods. These include:

• drug therapy: antibacterial, antiviral, and vasodilating drugs, angioprotectors, thrombolytics, antiplatelet agents, diuretics, B vitamins, adenosine triphosphate, piracetam, ginkgo biloba preparations, etc.;
• infusion therapy;
• hemosorption;
• surgical treatment;
• chemotherapy;
• radiation therapy, etc.

To reduce the severity of cerebellar ataxia, that is, to improve metabolism in the skeletal muscles and increase muscle tone and strength, a course of medical massage and physical rehabilitation is usually prescribed.

Physical rehabilitation makes it possible to adapt activity and facilitate motor learning. A physical rehabilitation program may include exercises aimed at improving:

• static balance;
• dynamic balance;
• coordination of the trunk and limbs.

Physical rehabilitation also helps prevent contractures.

At first, the patient performs the exercises only under a doctor's supervision, but as progress is made, gradually moves on to daily exercise at home. Regular exercise helps improve the patient's physical condition, but for safety the patient is advised to use a cane or walker, which reduce the likelihood of falls caused by impaired balance or poor coordination. Work is also done to increase muscle strength and overall endurance.

In rehabilitation, in addition to exercises, physiotherapy is used to reduce the severity of cerebellar ataxia. Transcranial micropolarization (TCMP) is one of the methods used to strengthen muscles and improve coordination of movements; it helps maintain physical fitness, improve coordination and balance, and prevent complications.

Treatment of impaired coordination of movements in cerebellar damage in elderly people may reduce the severity of ataxia but will not eliminate it completely. Also, the result of therapy in patients with a single focal lesion is much more noticeable than in patients with degenerative diseases of the central nervous system.

Prevention of cerebellar ataxia

There are no specific methods of preventing cerebellar ataxia, only general recommendations:

• pay attention to your health and see a doctor promptly if warning signs appear;
• avoid situations in which a traumatic brain injury could occur;
• treat vascular, endocrine, and metabolic disorders and infections promptly, and take preventive measures against them;
• for couples with a family history of hereditary disease, pregnancy planning must include genetic testing, etc.

Advantages of treating cerebellar ataxia at the clinic

1. CSM Clinic in Kyiv is a private full-cycle medical center where you can undergo expert diagnostics with the results interpreted by experienced specialists, receive quality treatment, and recover after a long and/or serious illness or injury.
2. Doctors with extensive clinical experience and a high level of empathy, who know how to motivate the patient to work toward results.
3. Expert-level treatment and diagnostic equipment.
4. Courses of transcranial micropolarization and medical massage.
5. A personalized approach to each patient's problem.
6. Affordable prices for medical services.

Want to learn more about what cerebellar ataxia is, which doctor treats it, how much treatment of cerebellar ataxia in children and adults costs, and what the chances of a positive prognosis are? The specialists of CSM Clinic in Kyiv will answer all your questions and provide expert diagnostics and quality treatment. To book an appointment with a neurologist, contact our contact center or fill out the feedback form on the website, and we will get back to you shortly. Take care of your health by entrusting it to professionals.