TY - JOUR
T1 - Ataxia
AU - Ashizawa, Tetsuo
AU - Xia, Guangbin
N1 - Funding Information:
National Institutes of Health (NS083564)
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2016 by the American Academy of Neurology.
Copyright:
Copyright 2016 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2016/8/1
Y1 - 2016/8/1
N2 - Purpose of Review: This article introduces the background and common etiologies of ataxia and provides a general approach to assessing and managing the patient with ataxia. Recent Findings: Ataxia is a manifestation of a variety of disease processes, and an underlying etiology needs to be investigated. Pure ataxia is rare in acquired ataxia disorders, and associated symptoms and signs almost always exist to suggest an underlying cause. While the spectrum of hereditary degenerative ataxias is expanding, special attention should be addressed to those treatable and reversible etiologies, especially potentially life-Threatening causes. This article summarizes the diseases that can present with ataxia, with special attention given to diagnostically useful features. While emerging genetic tests are becoming increasingly available for hereditary ataxia, they cannot replace conventional diagnostic procedures in most patients with ataxia. Special consideration should be focused on clinical features when selecting a cost-effective diagnostic test. Summary: Clinicians who evaluate patients with ataxia should be familiar with the disease spectrum that can present with ataxia. Following a detailed history and neurologic examination, proper diagnostic tests can be designed to confirm the clinical working diagnosis.
AB - Purpose of Review: This article introduces the background and common etiologies of ataxia and provides a general approach to assessing and managing the patient with ataxia. Recent Findings: Ataxia is a manifestation of a variety of disease processes, and an underlying etiology needs to be investigated. Pure ataxia is rare in acquired ataxia disorders, and associated symptoms and signs almost always exist to suggest an underlying cause. While the spectrum of hereditary degenerative ataxias is expanding, special attention should be addressed to those treatable and reversible etiologies, especially potentially life-Threatening causes. This article summarizes the diseases that can present with ataxia, with special attention given to diagnostically useful features. While emerging genetic tests are becoming increasingly available for hereditary ataxia, they cannot replace conventional diagnostic procedures in most patients with ataxia. Special consideration should be focused on clinical features when selecting a cost-effective diagnostic test. Summary: Clinicians who evaluate patients with ataxia should be familiar with the disease spectrum that can present with ataxia. Following a detailed history and neurologic examination, proper diagnostic tests can be designed to confirm the clinical working diagnosis.
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U2 - 10.1212/CON.0000000000000362
DO - 10.1212/CON.0000000000000362
M3 - Review article
C2 - 27495205
AN - SCOPUS:84982994767
VL - 22
SP - 1208
EP - 1226
JO - CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology
JF - CONTINUUM Lifelong Learning in Neurology
SN - 1080-2371
IS - 4,MovementDisorders
ER -