What are spinocerebellar ataxias?
Spinocerebellar ataxias are a group of conditions that affect a person’s coordination, balance and speech.
What causes spinocerebellar ataxias?
Spinocerebellar ataxias are hereditary and are caused by a faulty gene that results in the degeneration of the spinal cord or a part of the brain known as the cerebellum.
They are autosomal dominant, meaning the condition can develop if a person inherits a single faulty gene from one of their parents.
What are the symptoms of spinocerebellar ataxias?
The symptoms of spinocerebellar ataxias usually don’t begin to show until adulthood and may include:
- Issues with balance and coordination which can make walking difficult.
- Dysarthria which involves slurred, slow or unclear speech.
- Dysphagia which is difficulty swallowing.
- Muscle stiffness and cramps.
- Peripheral neuropathy which involves a loss of sensation in the hands and feet.
- Memory loss.
- Unusually slow eye movement.
- A lack of bladder control.
