Sensory ataxia
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S.
Overview
Sensory ataxia is both a symptom and a sign in neurology. It is a form of ataxia (loss of coordination) caused not by cerebellar dysfunction but by loss of sensory input into the control of movement.
Sensory ataxia is distinguished from cerebellar ataxia by the presence of near-normal coordination when the movement in question is visually observed by the patient, but marked worsening of coordination when the eyes are closed.
Sensory ataxia also lacks the associated features of cerebellar ataxia such as pendular tendon reflexes, scanning dysarthria, nystagmus and broken pursuit eye movements.
Patients with sensory ataxia often demonstrate pseudoathetosis and Romberg’s sign. They usually complain of loss of balance in the dark, typically when closing their eyes in the shower or removing clothing over the head.
Sensory ataxia is present in sensory peripheral neuropathies and conditions causing dysfunction of the dorsal columns of the spinal cord such as tabes dorsalis.
Causes
Common Causes
- Brain hemorrhage
- Cerebellar disease
- Cerebral palsy
- Diabetes mellitus
- Friedreich ataxia
- Guillain-barré syndrome
- Head trauma
- Hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy type 3
- Multiple sclerosis
- Peripheral neuropathies
- Porphyria
- Sensory neuropathy
- Spinal cord compression
- Tabes dorsalis
- Toxic reaction
- Vitamin e deficiency
- Vitamin b-12 deficiency
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | Transient ischemic attack |
| Chemical/Poisoning | Chronic arsenic poisoning, Toxic reaction |
| Dental | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | Diphtheria |
| Drug Side Effect | Benzodiazepine |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | Underactive thyroid |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | Canomad syndrome |
| Hematologic | Brain hemorrhage, Diabetes mellitus, Glucose phosphate isomerase deficiency, Lacunar infarct, Pernicious anaemia, Vitamin e deficiency, Vitamin b-12 deficiency |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | Chickenpox, Diphtheria, Measles |
| Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic | Spinal cord compression |
| Neurologic | Brain hemorrhage, Cerebellar disease, Cerebral palsy, Friedreich ataxia, Guillain-barré syndrome, Hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy type 3, Multiple sclerosis, Neurosyphilis , Peripheral neuropathies, Polyradiculoneuropathy , Porphyria, Sensory neuropathy, Tabes dorsalis |
| Nutritional/Metabolic | Diabetes mellitus |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | Paraneoplastic syndromes, Tumors |
| Ophthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose/Toxicity | Prolonged alcohol abuse |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal/Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | Neurosyphilis |
| Trauma | [[Head trauma] |
| Urologic | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
Causes in Alphabetical Order
- Benzodiazepine
- Brain hemorrhage
- Canomad syndrome
- Cerebellar disease
- Cerebral palsy
- Chickenpox
- Chronic arsenic poisoning
- Diabetes mellitus
- Diphtheria
- Friedreich ataxia
- Glucose phosphate isomerase deficiency
- Guillain-barré syndrome
- Head trauma
- Hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy type 3
- Lacunar infarct
- Measles
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neurosyphilis
- Paraneoplastic syndromes
- Peripheral neuropathies
- Pernicious anaemia
- Polyradiculoneuropathy
- Porphyria
- Prolonged alcohol abuse
- Sensory neuropathy
- Spinal cord compression
- Tabes dorsalis
- Toxic reaction
- Transient ischemic attack
- Tumors
- Underactive thyroid
- Vitamin e deficiency
- Vitamin b-12 deficiency
Further reading
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