8. Cerebellar ataxia VS sensory ataxia

Question 1

What is cerebellar ataxia (CA)?

Answer 1

Ataxia that is due to dysfunction of the cerebellum. More common & easier to identify.

Question 2

What is sensory ataxia (SA)?

Answer 2

Ataxia due to loss of proprioception, the loss of sensitivity to the positions of joint and body parts. (Loss of sensory input to the motor control). Diagnostic errors & delays.

Question 3

Similarities and differences

Answer 3

BOTH

• Heel-shin ataxia
• Finger-nose ataxia
• Eye move.: (CA) Normal/slow, (SA) sometimes abnor.
• Gait: (CA) Broad-based & staggering, (SA) high stepping & unsteady

CA

• Dysarthria: Scanning
• Nystagmus

SA

• Deep tendon reflexes: Absent
• Joint position sense: Impaired
• Pseudoathetosis
• Exteroceptive sensation: Reduced
• Romberg sign