TOC  |  D-Dx    

Ataxia Differential Diagnosis    

Non-inherited Ataxia

  1. Stroke or transient ischemic attack TIA (posterior circulation), brain trauma
  2. Tumor or abscess of posterior fossa:  primary or metastatic brain tumor, primary CNS lymphoma
  3. Toxins:  lead, anticonvulsants, salicylates, aminoglycosides, sedatives
  4. Infection:  viral encephalitis, HIV, Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease
  5. Alcoholic cerebellar degeneration
  6. Multiple Sclerosis
  7. Paraneoplastic Disorder: Breast, Lung, Ovarian, Uteriane, or cervical cancers
  8. Vit. E deficiency
  9. Miller-Fischer Syndrome (variant of Guillain-Barre Syndrome)

Inherited Ataxia

  1. Friedreich's Ataxia
  2. Ataxia-telangiectasia
  3. Spinocerebellar Ataxia:  Type 1 (olivopontocerebellar atrophy), Type 2 (Wadia's ataxia), Type 3 (Machado-Joseph disease), Type 4 (with sensory loss)
  4. Dentatorubropalllidoluysian atrophy
  5. Dominant periodic ataxia

     

REF:  Outlines of Clinical Medicine

2004