EC Neurology

Ataxia is a neurological disorder describes poor muscle control that causes clumsy voluntary movements, characterized by a lack of muscle coordination, leading to difficulties with voluntary movements such as walking, speaking, and controlling fine motor skills. It is usually results from malfunction of the “cerebellum”, located at the back of the brain beneath the occipital lobes, which fine tunes motor activity or movement via the flocculonodular lobe. Ataxia, is a physical finding, not a disease. The symptoms of ataxia can vary depending on the underlying cause and the specific areas of the brain affected. Common symptoms include unsteady gait, difficulty with balance, slurred speech, tremors, difficulty swallowing, and impaired fine motor skills.

In this review article we discuss the diverse disease types that lead to sporadic ataxia with adult onset. Medical imaging modalities comprise computed tomography (CT) scanners and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the most frequently performed imaging investigation in patients with ataxia, with clinical findings might reflect progressive disease changes such as cerebellar degeneration and other brain structures in people with ataxia. Recent advances in genetics have significantly contributed to our understanding of ataxia, particularly in identifying causative genes and uncovering underlying molecular mechanisms.

Keywords: Ataxia; Epidemiology; Molecular Mechanisms; Medical Interventions

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