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Neurologic Terminology:
What is cerebellar ataxia?
Cerebellar ataxia encompasses all abnormal motor phenomena of cerebellar origin, including dysmetria, tremor, decomposition of movement, titubation, etc. Cerebellar ataxia consists of one or more of the following:
-Dysmetria: any disturbance in range of voluntary movement; the force and speed of the movement may be inappropriate as well.
-Hypermetria: excessive range of movement; the limb tends to overshoot its mark.
-Hypometria: deficient range of movement; the limb may stop before the target is reached.
-Decomposition of movement: the various components of an act are not performed in their proper order or are not performed with appropriate force or speed.
-Intention tremor: a tremor that develops in a limb or body part after initiation of movement. Intention tremors are characteristic of cerebellar disease. They are clearly differentiated from resting tremors that occur with disease of the extrapyramidal motor system. Since coordination of postural muscles is necessary to maintain body posture, intention tremor may be seen in animals that are not actually moving. For example, tremor is sometimes evident in the head because the heavy neck muscles must be properly coordinated to support the head against gravity whenever the animal is not fully recumbent. In fully recumbent or sleeping animals, intention tremors are absent. Therefore, in cases where the nature of a tremor is in doubt, observations of the animal should be made during recumbency or sleep. Intention tremors can also be classified as "static tremors" or "kinetic tremors", referring to tremors of the animal when it is standing or moving, respectively (Dow and Moruzzi, 1958, p. 23). Disequilibrium: a drunken, staggering gait seen with lesions of the flocculonodular lobe(q.v.). (Sometimes called titubation.)
-Dysmetria: any disturbance in range of voluntary movement; the force and speed of the movement may be inappropriate as well.
-Hypermetria: excessive range of movement; the limb tends to overshoot its mark.
-Hypometria: deficient range of movement; the limb may stop before the target is reached.
-Decomposition of movement: the various components of an act are not performed in their proper order or are not performed with appropriate force or speed.
-Intention tremor: a tremor that develops in a limb or body part after initiation of movement. Intention tremors are characteristic of cerebellar disease. They are clearly differentiated from resting tremors that occur with disease of the extrapyramidal motor system. Since coordination of postural muscles is necessary to maintain body posture, intention tremor may be seen in animals that are not actually moving. For example, tremor is sometimes evident in the head because the heavy neck muscles must be properly coordinated to support the head against gravity whenever the animal is not fully recumbent. In fully recumbent or sleeping animals, intention tremors are absent. Therefore, in cases where the nature of a tremor is in doubt, observations of the animal should be made during recumbency or sleep. Intention tremors can also be classified as "static tremors" or "kinetic tremors", referring to tremors of the animal when it is standing or moving, respectively (Dow and Moruzzi, 1958, p. 23). Disequilibrium: a drunken, staggering gait seen with lesions of the flocculonodular lobe(q.v.). (Sometimes called titubation.)
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