For over 20 years, studies have reported that Dilantin use may cause cerebellar degeneration. Consumers who experienced cerebellar degeneration in relation to Dilantin treatment may be eligible for compensation.

Dilantin (phenytoin) is an anti-seizure medication often prescribed to treat grand mal seizures (involving loss of consciousness and muscle contractions) and partial complex seizures (shorter and involving an alteration of awareness). Dilantin treats seizures by stabilizing the brain’s response to stimuli including common seizure triggers such as flashing lights.

The drug may also be prescribed to prevent seizures before and after a brain surgery or to treat mental health disorders including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, aggressive behavior, Tourette’s syndrome, and ADHD.

Although Dilantin is extremely useful to treat a variety of conditions, studies suggest that the medication may cause cerebellar degeneration. Cerebellar degeneration, also known as cerebellar atrophy, involves damage to the cerebellum, a small, round structure which sits at the base of the brain stem. Certain conditions can also cause cerebellar degeneration, including stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors, seizures, and other cerebellar disorders.

The progression of cerebellar degeneration causes increasingly poor neurological connections in the cerebellum. When the cerebellum is healthy and undamaged, it controls voluntary movements and regulates balance, speech, and general coordination. When the cerebellum is damaged, by cerebellar degeneration or otherwise, movements typically regulated by the structure can become unsteady.

Symptoms of cerebellar degeneration are often similar to those of a stroke, including lack of balance, slow movements, lurching or unsteady walk, tremors, shaking, unstable eye movements, slurred or slow speech, and memory loss.

As early as the 1990s, scientific evidence has been available linking Dilantin use with cerebellar degeneration. In 1994, a scientific study investigated the link between Dilantin and cerebellar degeneration. This study took the analysis a step farther then previous studies and considered that cerebellar degeneration can also be caused by seizures which Dilantin is prescribed to prevent. Even when compensating for the potential effects of seizure damage, the study showed that Dilantin treatment increased the risk of cerebellar degeneration.

Other studies have shed new light on the issue, including the revelation that cerebellar degeneration can occur in children treated with Dilantin. The occurrence of Dilantin cerebellar atrophy has also been subject to new discoveries. Patients treated with Dilantin long term are more likely to develop the condition and it is more common when drug serum levels are above the recommended therapeutic range. However, this is not a universal rule for all cases, and cerebellar degeneration has occurred when drug serum levels are within the recommended range.

Patients who develop cerebellar degeneration may be able to recover after discontinuing treatment with Dilantin. However, research shows that while recovery is possible, not all patients recover the same way. Some individuals may experience long term side effects associated with cerebellum damage, including persistent lack of muscle coordination.

If you or a loved one experienced cerebellar degeneration in relation to treatment with Dilantin, you may be eligible to file a Dilantin lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturers. A Dilantin cerebellar degeneration lawsuit may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses, permanent disability, pain and suffering, permanent disability, and more.