Ataxia Flashcards
CEREBELLUM
role in adjusting posture and coordinating mvoements
indirect influence on movement
connections via vestibulospinal, reticulospinal and medial and lateral corticospinal tracts
non-genetic causes of cerebellar ataxia
vascular stroke
infection
drugs
demyleniation
genetic causes of cerebellar ataxia
x-linked
autosomal dominant - single copy of the gene
autosomal ressecive
ataxia linked to ethanol prenatal
vunerable during development
purkinjie cells and granule cells are vunerable to ethanol
may be causing reduced attention and impaired motor skill
ataxia linked to ethanol in adults
acute- appear after excessive consumption of alcohol
synpatic dysfunction reduced cerebellar inputs and outputs disrupting motor and coordingation
chronic- atrophy of superior vermis and reduced white matter
large sway/ limbs might have poor movement control
spinocerebellar ataxia
autosomal dominant inheritance
progressive neurodegeneration of purkinjie and granule cells
ataxic gait
dysathria
dyspahgia
abnormal eye movement
cerebellar ataxia
caused by structural or functional changes
result in apparence of ataxic gait
sensory ataxia
caused by structural or functional changes to sensory nerves
result in interpretation of sensory feedback
how to distinguish cerebellar ataxia and sensory ataxia
rhombergs test
finger nose test
rhombergs test
posture assessment
sensory ataxia- patient will be stable with eyes open but unstable with eyes closed
cerebellar- will be unstable both
finger nose test
sensory will be demonstrating ataxia with eyes closed
dysmetria
inaccurate size of movement
hyper= overshoots
hypo= undershoot
assessed using finger nose test
SPINOCEREBELLUM is tested here
intention tremor
involuntary oscillatory and rhythmic movement
tremor evident as they move closer to object
spinocerebellum is affected
dysdiadochokinesia
difficulty with rapid alternating movements
observe rapid movements with change of direction
slowed reversal of movment/ poor rhythm/ decreased size of movmenet
spinocerebellum is affected
ocular dysmetria
eye not able to move accurately to a target
hypo-undrshoot
hyper- overshoot
vestibulocerebellum is affected
nystagmus
involuntary oscillatior of eye
eyes in gaze and a movement
vestibulocerebellum
movement decomposition
movement compensation adopted by patient to make movment easier
person may fix one joint and then move joints in a sequence rather then one smooth movement
spinocerebellum
ataxic dysathria
change in force, timing and direction of articulation
dysathria changes in prosody
spino and cerebrocerebellum
ataxic gait
wide base of support
slow walking speed
walking pattern is irregular
increased risk of falls
spinocerbellum
