A degenerative disease of the nervous system mimicking the symptoms of being drunk is termed Ataxia. Individuals affected by ataxia have slurred speech, stumbling, falling, and incoordination. These are caused due to the degeneration of the cerebellum which is responsible for coordinating movements. The following diseases are classified under the general term ataxia:
Lack of muscle control or coordination of voluntary movements, and creating difficulties in speech, eye movement, and swallowing are indicative of ataxia.
Symptoms of ataxia vary between individuals. The symptoms might start slowly but then progress drastically over weeks or months. Some of the common symptoms include:
Damage or degeneration of the cerebellum causes ataxia. Some of the other causes of the condition include:
Ataxia is diagnosed by using various procedures. A medical history, family history, and a complete neurological evaluation can help diagnose ataxia. Various blood tests are performed to rule out other conditions. Blood tests are also available to detect ataxia caused by hereditary traits. A CT scan or an MRI show shrinkage of the cerebellum that happens in ataxia. A lumbar puncture to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid is performed. This sample is sent to a lab to detect abnormalities relating to ataxia.
There is no cure for ataxia yet, though the symptoms can be managed using speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These are used in conjunction with medications. Ataxia caused by multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy requires adaptive devices such as hiking sticks or walkers for walking and communication aids for speaking.
Stem cells are endogenous cells that have the ability to regenerate into the required cell type. These stem cells are used for treating ataxia and its symptoms. Stem cells are combined with specialized therapies for treating ataxia and to treat the cause of the symptoms by promoting healing of the brain injury.
Therapy for Ataxia through stem cells by IV and lumbar puncture intervention can help to restore neurological function in the brain, thus improving the following:
Thus, stem cells aid in providing nutrition to dying cells and the resulting revitalization of the cells help slow the disease’s progression.