Is Cerebellar Ataxia Progressive?

Ataxia usually develops as a result of damage to a part of the brain that coordinates movement (cerebellum). Ataxia can develop at any age. It is typically progressive, meaning it can get worse with time. It is a rare condition, affecting about 150,000 people in the U.S.

Is ataxia a progressive disease?

Different gene defects cause different types of ataxia, most of which are progressive. Each type causes poor coordination, but each has specific signs and symptoms.

How fast does cerebellar ataxia progress?

The age of onset and the rate of ataxia progression are perhaps the two most useful clinical features pointing to the cause. Rapid progression (within weeks to months) is characteristic of paraneoplastic spinocerebellar degeneration and sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.