Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare genetic disorder caused by loss of function of the ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated kinase and is characterized by a predisposition to cancer, pulmonary disease, immune deficiency and progressive degeneration of the cerebellum. As animal models do not faithfully recapitulate the neurological aspects, it remains unclear whether cerebellar degeneration is a neur...

We describe a unique condition affecting two siblings with a form of progressive spinocerebellar ataxia. After a period of very slowly progressive ataxia, the patients developed an extremely accelerated progression of the condition which consisted of cerebellar ataxia, seizure, progressive dementia and spastic tetraparesis. Age of onset was variable at 7 to 18 years. Brain magnetic resonance im...

The authors report a clinical review of 16 childhood cases with early-onset cerebellar ataxia with retained tendon reflexes. The preservation of tendon reflexes distinguishes this disorder from Friedreich's ataxia. The mean age of onset of symptoms was 7.1 years. The main presenting symptom was abnormal gait (100%). Ataxia of gait and limbs and normal or increased tendon reflexes were found in ...

The clinical management of cerebellar ataxia is challenging, mainly because ataxia is a symptom of many neurological diseases. Many types of ataxia disorders are genetic and some are extremely rare. Here, the authors suggest a diagnostic approach to ataxia developed around a case of sporadic, late-onset, slowly progressive ataxia. Clinical information such as age of onset, rate of progression, ...

Cerebellar dysfunction may result in significant functional difficulties with upper and lower limb movement, oculo-motor control, balance and walking. Such difficulties can affect employability, increase carer burden and reduce a person’s perceived quality of life. The economic burden of people with spinocerebellar ataxia is estimated to be around E18 776 per annum. This article will review the...

A family is reported in which three boys, two full brothers and a half brother, presented with marked delay in motor milestones, severe limb and truncal ataxia, nystagmus, speech delay and moderate global retardation. Autosomal recessive and sex linked recessive forms of cerebellar hypoplasia are reviewed and it is suggested that this family may have a rare, if not unique, form of sex-linked ce...

A new autosomal recessive mouse mutation, Purkinje cell degeneration (pcd), is described. Mutants exhibit a moderate ataxia beginning at 3 to 4 weeks of age. The ataxia results from postnatal degeneration of virtually all cerebellar Purkinje cells beginning around 15 to 18 days of age and progressing rapidly over the next 2 weeks. In addition to the cerebellar disease there is slow progressive ...

BACKGROUND Cerebellar syndrome and small fiber neuropathy may complicate celiac disease (CD) and may be resistant to a strict gluten-free diet. METHODS Case series. RESULTS We report three patients with biopsy-proven CD who developed cerebellar ataxia and neuropathic pain despite strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. A small fiber neuropathy was suggested by skin biopsy findings in two pa...

Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) is an exceedingly rare prion disease. There are only 3 case reports of GSS in China. Here we report the first GSS family in southern China. A 47-year-old female complained of unsteady gait and dysarthria. Seven other individuals presented similar symptoms in 3 generations of her family, and all died 4-6 years after onset. To detect causative mutatio...

We report the cases of a father and his son with spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7), a disorder rarely reported in Japan. The father had noticed dysarthria at age 38, and gait instability at age 46. Visual disturbance was noted 3 years later. Neurological examination at age 54 revealed visual disturbance, dysarthria, and cerebellar ataxia in all four extremities and the trunk. Cranial MRI sho...