Ataxia often occurs when parts of the nervous system that control movement are damaged. Those affected experience a failure of muscle control in their arms and legs, resulting in a lack of balance and coordination or a disturbance of gait. While it's term is primarily used to describe this set of symptoms, it is sometimes also used to refer to a family of disorders. It is not, however, a specific diagnosis.
Most disorders cause cells in the part of the brain called the cerebellum to degenerate, or atrophy. Sometimes the spine is also affected. The phrases cerebellar degeneration and spinocerebellar degeneration are used to describe changes that have taken place in a person’s nervous system; neither term constitutes a specific diagnosis. Cerebellar and spinocerebellar degeneration have many different causes. The age of onset varies depending on the underlying cause of the degeneration.
Many are hereditary and are classified by chromosomal location and pattern of inheritance: autosomal dominant, in which the affected person inherits a normal gene from one parent and a faulty gene from the other parent; and autosomal recessive, in which both parents pass on a copy of the faulty gene. Among the more common inherited are Friedreich’s and Machado-Joseph disease.
Conditions that can cause acquired ataxia include stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors, alcoholism, peripheral neuropathy, metabolic disorders, and vitamin deficiencies.
Is there any treatment?
There is no cure, however, stem cell treatments show great promise in curing this disease.
Kim Poor's stem cell improvements-walking (6:22 mins)
MJD patient Kim Poor's before and after video of walking after receiving stem cell treatments in China six months prior.
George Arruda, improves after stem cell treatment (5:52 mins) A Canadian patient with Spinocerebellar, came to China early 2007 for stemcell treatment. After treatment his walking, balance and coordination had all improved significantly.
David Blair Improvement with stem cell therapy (8:24 mins)
