Patients who are prescribed Dilantin (phenytoin) should be wary of any cerebellar atrophy symptoms, which could impair movement and speaking.

Cerebellar atrophy symptoms typically cause patients to have a difficult walking gait and slurred speech patterns, with the severity depending on the patient and what stage the condition is at during diagnosis.

The nature of cerebellar atrophy symptoms is due to where the condition manifests, in the cerebellum, which is a vital communication component between the brain and the rest of the body.

This essentially means that cerebellar atrophy symptoms primarily impacts voluntary movements like speech and any kind of movement, in which the brain has to send an electrical signal through the spine to get a response.

Cerebellar atrophy is a focal variant of cerebral atrophy. This means that the cerebellum loses neurological connections, which impacts the patient’s ability to walk and talk.

By degrading the part of the brain that controls movement, cerebellar atrophy symptoms can lead to:

• Unsteady or Lurching Walking Gait
• Slow, Unsteady, or Jerky Movements in Arms or Legs
• Slow or Slurred Speech
• Nystagmus (small rapid eye movements)
• Memory Loss
• Cognition Difficulties
• Mood Swings
• Difficulty in Maintaining Upright Posture
• Having to Concentrate while Engaging in Routine Activities

These cerebellar atrophy symptoms may look similar to people who are experiencing the effects of intoxication or stroke. Overall, cerebellar atrophy symptoms start with small or large movement difficulties, problems with talking, and significant changes in mood or cognitive reasoning.

While there are a variety of causes of cerebellar atrophy, it has been linked to Dilantin toxicity for years.

Overview of Dilantin Cerebellar Atrophy

Dilantin is a popular antiepileptic medication that has been on the market since the 1960s and works by slowing down the electrical signals in the brain. While this works well in preventing seizures, there have been numerous patients who have allegedly developed adverse reactions from phenytoin toxicity.

Cerebellar atrophy was first linked to Dilantin in 1994, when researchers analyzed MRI images of patients who were prescribed phenytoin. Researchers did this to observe the drug’s treatment effect on the brain and noticed phenytoin patients had significantly smaller cerebelli compared to non exposed patients.

A later study conducted in 2003 found that long term phenytoin exposure significantly increased the chances of cerebellar atrophy. Studies have also found that children may be at risk for developing cerebellar atrophy symptoms if they are prescribed phenytoin based medications.

Treatment for cerebellar atrophy varies between patients, but patients can typically expect some form of physical therapy or drug treatment regimen. It is important to note that cerebellar atrophy is a permanent condition with no cure, so it should be diagnosed as soon as possible.

Even though cerebellar atrophy can be devastating to patients, manufacturer Pfizer Inc. may not have adequately communicated this information to patients. Dilantin patients who allegedly developed cerebellar atrophy from the medication could be eligible to file a claim for compensation.