Ataxia

Ataxia, an extreme lack of coordination of the muscles, is a symptom of damage to the central nervous system. People with ataxia typically stand with feet planted far apart, and sway while standing, struggling to maintain balance. Jerky eye and head movements are also commonly observed with ataxia. Ataxia may result from a number of causes, including damage to or diseases of the spinal cord or the cerebellum, a part of the brain; tumor on the spinal cord or in the cerebellum; infection affecting the central nervous system; response to poisons and toxins or other environmental factor that causes the central nervous system to stop functioning normally or to degenerate; disease that causes degeneration of the central nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis; or hereditary factors. Hereditary ataxia conditions are rare, and include Friedreich's ataxia, which usually appears between the ages of five and twenty. Friedreich's ataxia is a disabling condition that often causes premature death.