What is Spinocerebellar Ataxia?

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What is Spinocerebellar Ataxia?

• It is a genetic disease caused by either a
  recessive or dominant gene.
• SCA refers to a group of ataxias that are
• Known to be hereditary
• Cause harm to the cerebellum
• The cerebellum is the part of the brain which
  maintains balance and controls movements.

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A damaged cerebellum can lead to

• Uncoordinated movements and gait
• Impaired hand-eye coordination
• Abnormal speech

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Types of SCA

• There are 40 types of SCA discovered so far. Each
  type is named SCA1, SCA2, and so on.
• The numbers indicate the order in which they were
  discovered.
• SCA3 is the most common type of Spinocerebellar
  Ataxia.
• It is also known as Machado-Joseph Disease.

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Machado-Joseph Disease

• This type of SCA leads to -
• Gradual progressive clumsiness in arms and legs
• Speech difficulties
• Dysphagia (swallowing troubles)
• Staggering or lurching gait
• Vision troubles (accompanied by bulging eyes or
  double vision)
• Lower limb spasticity

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Symptoms of SCA

• Slurred speech
• Poor coordination of movement
• Inability to perform basic fine motor movements
• Dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing)
• Unsteady gait
• Tendency to trip
• Rapid back-and-forth eye movements
• Symptoms of SCA typically manifest after 18 years
  of age, and gradually worsen over the years.
• Timely treatment can help stall the progression
  of the condition.

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Causes of SCA

• Stroke
• Cerebral palsy
• Autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis,
  celiac disease, etc
• Vitamin deficiency (specifically Vitamins E,
  B-12, thiamin)
• Side effects of medication (chemotherapy,
  sedatives, etc)
• Alcoholism
• Genetic factors
• Viral infections like chicken pox have been known
  to cause Ataxia, but it typically abates with
  time
• Head trauma
• Parkinsons disease

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Treatment and care

• Physiotherapy
• Coordination training
• Balance training
• Trunk stability training
• Trunk rehabilitation
• Core strengthening
• Locomotor exercises

• Occupational therapy
• Activities for Daily Living (ADL)
• Handwriting training
• Hand function training
• Balance training

• Speech therapy
• Swallowing techniques
• Articulation techniques
• Pronunciation exercises
• Assistive communication devices
• Oral musculature strengthening exercises