The anti-epileptic drug Dilantin could cause cerebellar brain atrophy, and it is possible that the drug makers didn’t warn patients of this serious side effect.

If you or a loved one developed cerebellar atrophy after taking Dilantin, you may have a legal claim. Lawyers are investigating if drug makers knew that Dilantin could cause cerebellar brain atrophy, but failed to warn medical professionals and patients.

Dilantin is an anti-epileptic drug that is also known by its generic name, phenytoin. This drug is used to help treat seizures or epilepsy. Though the drug seemed to be very helpful for many people suffering from seizures, it may have a severe side effect.

Studies have shown that Dilantin can cause the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls movement, to shrink. This condition is known as cerebellar degeneration or atrophy. In cerebellar brain atrophy, a person’s ability to control motor function is affected.

Symptoms of cerebellar brain atrophy include:

• Unsteady, lurching walk, which often includes a back and forth tremor in the main part of the body
• Slow, unsteady, jerky movements in the arms or legs
• Slow and slurred speech
• Nystagmus: small rapid movements in the eyes.
• Memory loss

According to a 2003 study into Dilantin, cerebellar brain atrophy most often shows up in Dilantin patients after they have used the drug for a long time, or if they have been taking more than the recommended dosage of Dilantin. However, the condition can appear in patients who have not taken the drug for very long, and who have taken normal levels of the drug.

Allegedly, the cerebellar atrophy was caused by toxicity to the cerebellum possibly cause by Dilantin.

Cerebellar atrophy can occur after the brain has been exposed to a range of toxins, including toxins in ethanol, chemotherapy treatments, and medications like Dilantin.

Cerebellar brain atrophy can also be caused by stroke, multiple sclerosis, and tumors. Cerebellar atrophy can even be caused by seizures themselves, which Dilantin aims to treat. Earlier research did take this into account when analyzing the connection between Dilantin and cerebellar brain atrophy — in 1994, researchers conducted a study that took into account the fact that Dilantin patients typically already had seizures, and examined the connection between cerebellar brain atrophy and the drug.

This study was the first study to examine the connection between Dilantin and cerebellar brain atrophy and showed that patients who took Dilantin had significantly smaller cerebella than people who had not taken Dilantin. This difference in size indicated that the cerebella had begun to atrophy, which means to shrink, and is one of the causes of decreased functionality of that part of the brain.

Unfortunately, cerebellar brain atrophy is a serious condition. Some people reported that recovery is possible when a patient stops taking Dilantin, but in many cases, the symptoms of cerebellar atrophy may be permanent. One such side effect is cerebellar ataxia, which is a lack of muscle coordination. Cerebellar ataxia is often permanent after cerebellar damage.

Withdrawal from Dilantin should always be monitored by a doctor so it can be done safely.