Cerebellar disease

Question 1

What does damage to the cerebellum cause?

Answer 1

1. broad-based stance
2. loss of balance
3. ataxia
4. tremor
5. hypermetria
6. dysmetria without paresis
7. intention tremor
8. postural reactions, spinal reflexes, sensations normal
9. menace reflex may be lost

Question 2

What can produce signs very similar to those seen in animals with cerebellar disease? How is it differentiated from cerebellar dz?

Answer 2

damage to very superficial spinocerebellar tracts in cervical spinal cord
No head tremor or other brain signs!

Question 3

What are paradoxical central vestibular signs?

Answer 3

head tilt to side opposite lesion, nystagmus with fast phase directed to side of the lesion
abnormal postural reactions on side of the lesion
occurs with lesion in flocculonodular lobe of cerebellum

Question 4

What are the etiologies of cerebellar disease?

Answer 4

1. aquired cerebellar dysfunction
2. congenital cerebellar hypoplasia
3. viral induced cerebellar malformations
4. cerebellar neuronal abiotrophy

Question 5

What are causes of acquired cerebellar dysfunction?

Answer 5

1. trauma
2. hemorrhage
3. infarction
4. infectious disease
5. granulomatous meningoencephalitis (dog)
6. primary or metastatic neoplasia

Question 6

What is the most common region of the brain to be affected by neosporosis in adult dogs?

Answer 6

cerebellum

Question 7

What is the cause of congenital cerebellar hypoplasia?

Answer 7

unknown

Question 8

What is the cause of virus-induced cerebellar malformations? 1. in kittens 2. in puppies

Answer 8

1. panleukopenia virus

2. herpesvirus

Question 9

How do you differentiate virus-induced cerebellar malformations and cerebellar neuronal abiotrophy?

Answer 9

virus-induced cerebella malformations are not progressive

cerebellar neuronal abiotrphy is progressive

Question 10

What is cerebellar neuronal abiotrophy?

Answer 10

a syndrome of premature degeneration of cells in cerebellum
Suspected to be hereditary
May be present at birth or appear and young age.
Worsen with time
Restricted to cerebellum

Question 11

What is the diagnostic approach to cerebellar dysfunction?

Answer 11

neurologic exam

Question 12

What should you suspect in puppies/kittens with cerebellar dysfunction that are otherwise alert/active?

Answer 12

1. congenital hypoplasia
2. malformations
3. abiotrophy

Question 13

What are progressive disorders of cerebellum in puppies and kittens?

Answer 13

abiotrophies
metabolic storages dz
degenerative disorders

Question 14

If other neurologic abnormalities are present in adult animals acquired cerebellar dysfunction, what should be considered?

Answer 14

inflammatory or neoplastic dz

Question 15

What tests should be conducted for an adult animal with cerebellar dysfunction + other neuro abnormalities?

Answer 15

1. physical
2. opthalmologic exam
3. CBC, chem, UA
4. thoracic and abdominal radiographs
5. CSF if no abnormalities found
6. advanced imaging

Question 16

What is suspected in an adult animal with cerebellar dysfunction/other neuro signs in which all tests appear normal?

Answer 16

a degenerative dz such as neuraxonal dystropy and other degenerative disorders affecting cerebellum