What is spinocerebellar degeneration?
Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is a term referring to a group of hereditary ataxias that are characterized by degenerative changes in the part of the brain related to the movement control (cerebellum), and sometimes in the spinal cord.
Is spinocerebellar ataxia a neurodegenerative disease?
The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of neurodegenerative diseases that have a genetic origin. Some are caused by a mutation in a gene that lead to the production of an abnormal protein called ataxin, a transcription factor that tends to form inclusions in the nucleus and cytoplasm of the cell.
How many spinocerebellar ataxias are there?
Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs) The number of known SCAs continues to grow. It now includes at least 27, numbered in the order of discovery of the defective gene (Table 1).
What are spinocerebellar tracts?
The spinocerebellar tracts carry unconscious proprioceptive information gleaned from muscle spindles, Golgi tendon organs, and joint capsules to the cerebellum. The posterior spinocerebellar tract carries unconscious proprioceptive information from the lower extremity and trunk.
What part of the brain is affected by spinocerebellar degeneration?
Damage, degeneration or loss of nerve cells in the part of your brain that controls muscle coordination (cerebellum), results in ataxia.
Is spinocerebellar ataxia a motor neuron disease?
Although the combination of spinocerebellar ataxia and motor neuron disease is very rare, the present case suggests the inter-relation of the spinocerebellar and motor neuron systems, and presents peripheral neuropathy as a subtype of multisystem atrophy.
What happens when the spinocerebellar tract is damaged?
Damage to the spinothalamic tract within the spinal cord, as seen in Brown Squared syndrome, results in contralateral loss of pain and temperature whilst vibration and proprioception, transmitted via the dorsal columns, will be affected ipsilaterally.
Do spinocerebellar tracts cross?
The ventral spinocerebellar tract will cross to the opposite side of the body first in the spinal cord as part of the anterior white commissure and then cross again to end in the cerebellum (referred to as a “double cross”), as compared to the dorsal spinocerebellar tract, which does not decussate, or cross sides, at …
Is their a cure for cerebellar degeneration?
There is currently no cure for hereditary forms of cerebellar degeneration. In these cases, treatment is usually supportive and based on the signs and symptoms present in each person. For example, a variety of drugs may be used to treat gait abnormalities.
What causes ataxic gait?
Common Causes: Ataxic gait. Some of the possible common medical causes of Ataxic gait may include: Wernicke’s disease. Cerebellar abscess. Cerebellar hemorrhage. Friedreich’s ataxia.
What causes spinocerebellar ataxia?
Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) is caused by genetic mutation. The genetic mutation resulting in Spinocerebellar Ataxia is also known as “expansion mutations”.
What causes cerebellar atrophy?
Individuals with damage to the cerebellum may experience balance difficulties. Alcoholism may cause cerebellar atrophy. Multiple sclerosis may be the cause of cerebellar atrophy. Damage to the cerebellum may lead to cerebellar atrophy.