Dilantin, also known as phenytoin, is a prescription anti-convulsant medication that is typically used to prevent and manage specific types of seizures.

However, long-term Dilantin therapy may be associated with a degenerative disorder with permanent effects on the brain known as cerebellar atrophy.

What is Cerebellar Atrophy?

Cerebellar atrophy refers to the progressive loss of brain cells over time. Atrophy refers to a decreased size or wasting away of any part of the body. Cerebellar atrophycan happen in either the entire brain or in just one part of the brain and can lead to decreased brain mass and loss of neurological function.

Cerebellar Atrophy Symptoms

Symptoms of cerebellar atrophy arise from loss of brain cells throughout the brain and are dependent on the cause and location of cell death. Two types of cerebellar atrophy can occur: generalized (symptoms that affect the whole brain) or localized (only one part of the brain or one function is affected).

At times any of these cerebellar atrophy symptoms can be severe:

• Changes in mood, personality or behavior
• Difficulty with judgment or abstract thinking
• Difficulty with memory, thinking, talking, comprehension, writing or reading
• Disorientation
• Learning impairments
• Blurred or double vision
• Difficulty producing or understanding speech (aphasia)
• Impaired balance and coordination
• Localized weakness, loss of sensation, or paralysis

Depending on the underlying cause, cerebellar atrophy may progress very slowly or very rapidly. Patients may experience cerebellar atrophy symptoms daily or just once in a while.

There is no cure for cerebellar atrophy. Once brain cells have been lost, the damage is permanent. Treatment for cerebellar atrophy focuses on treating the symptoms and complications of cerebellar atrophy.

Cerebellar Atrophy Causes

Cerebellar atrophy can arise from many diseases of the brain, injury to the brain, or infection of the brain or even long-term use of medications like Dilantin (phenytoin). Specific causes of cerebellar atrophy include:

• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury
• Diseases that may cause cerebellar atrophy

Cerebellar atrophy may also occur due a variety of genetic or developmental disorders or infection including:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Cerebellar palsy (group of disorders affecting movement, balance, and posture)
• Dementia
• Huntington’s disease (genetic disorder causing degeneration of nerve cells in the brain)
• Leukodystrophysies (diseases damaging the protective material around nerve cells)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pick’s disease (form of dementia that affects only certain areas of the brain)
• AIDS
• Encephalitis (inflammation and swelling of the brain due to a viral infection or other causes)
• Syphilis (sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria)

Recently, several studies have come to light that indicate the toxic effects of long-term use of the seizure medication Dilantin may be one of the most common cerebellar atrophy causes.

One of these studies, published in the July 2003 European Journal of Epilepsy examined patients with epilepsy and used phenytoin (Dilantin) long-term. Of the 56 patients involved in the study, it was found that cerebellar atrophy was detected in 20 patients.

Based on the study data, researchers concluded that although the duration of epilepsy may have an influence on cerebellar atrophy, it is not as significant as the length of exposure to Dilantin.

Dilantin Cerebellar Atrophy Lawsuits

Complications of cerebellar atrophy can be serious, even life threatening in some cases. In some cases, cerebellar atrophy may be the result of exposure to certain pharmaceutical drugs like Dilantin (phenytoin), an anticonvulsant medication manufactured by Pfizer and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1982.

If you believe you have been adversely affected by alleged side effects of phenytoin (Dilantin), you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, which you can pursue by filing a Dilantin Cerebellar Atrophy lawsuit.