Ataxia is a symptom of cerebellar dysfunction. Slowly progressive ataxia, dysarthria in an adult with a positive family history suggests an inherited cerebellar ataxia. We present an adult with gradually progressive ataxia and slow saccades. There was history of similar illness in his son. Genetic testing for spinocerebellar ataxia 2 was positive. We discuss the various inherited ataxias, causes of acute, progressive ataxia syndromes, episodic ataxias and ataxia associated with other neurological signs like peripheral neuropathy, pyramidal features, movement disorders and cognitive decline.
Tremors are reported as the most frequent neurological manifestation of Wilson's disease (WD) in some series. Postural tremors, rest tremors, action tremors and wing-beating (rubral) tremors are the different types of tremors seen in WD. We report a patient of WD with unilateral rubral tremors refractory to 1-year therapy with Penicillamine and anti-tremor medications. The tremors decreased considerably after adding chelation therapy with dimercaprol. Combination of Penicillamine and dimercaprol is an effective decoppering measure in rubral tremors of WD.
A 16-year-old boy presented with progressive left hemidystonia over 3 years. The possibilities of symptomatic hemidystonia due to focal lesions such as infarct (vasculitis), tumours, tuberculoma, arteriovenous malformations or heredodegenerative disorders such as Wilson disease were considered. Imaging showed a peculiar scar involving right basifrontal region extending upto anterior, centromedian and dorsomedial nuclei of thalamus due to blowout fracture of roof of orbit. This scar was responsible for progressive left hemidystonia. On probing the history, it was revealed that patient had sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) 3 years ago. Burke-Fahn-Marsden dystonia severity rating scale showed improvement from 19 to 6 after treatment with tablet trihexyphenidyl 16 mg and clonazepam 1 mg. A linear scar reaching upto thalamus due to blowout fracture of roof of orbit following clinically mTBI is unique. Delayed, progressive hemidystonia has been reported following severe head injury, however is less common following clinically mTBI.
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