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Ataxia

  1. Partial or complete loss of coordination of voluntary muscular movements.
    This can interfere with a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, and perform other tasks of daily living.

    The common causes include:
    • Head injuries
    • Stroke.
    • Transient Ischemic attack (TIA)
    • Cerebral palsy
    • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
    • Viral infections like chickenpox
    • Paraneoplastic syndrome
    • Brain tumors
    • Drug toxicity: benzodiazepines, phenobarbital
    • Alcohol and heavy metal poisoning

    Treatment includes removal of the cause when possible.
    Physical therapy and assist devices might help.

    Reference: DeCS. Health Sciences Descriptors. Internet. Accessed July 15, 2009. Available at http://decs.bvs.br/I/homepagei.htm. 2. Ataxia. Mayo Clinic. Internet. Accessed July 28 2012. Available at http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ataxia/ds00910/dsection=causes