If you were to view the brain from the front without the skull, the cerebellum would be located behind the brain stem or the part where the brain and spinal cord articulate.

This lobe has two hemispheres like most parts of the brain. Its primary job is to receive input from the senses and in turn, control motor movements. Since the cerebellum affects movement, cerebellar atrophy symptoms will first show up as an issue with movement.

A lurching gait characterized by wide uneasy steps, a back and forth tremor of the torso, and painfully slow, slurry speech are among key cerebellar atrophy symptoms.

There are many reasons for atrophy in this part of the brain such as continual abuse of alcohol, and certain encephalopathic conditions which can be from traumatic brain injuries, inherited genetic conditions, or progressive and degenerative part of the aging process.

Once such encephalopathic condition is epilepsy or seizure disorder, for which one might be prescribed the drug Dilantin or phenytoin.

Seizure disorder has been linked to the progressive development of cerebellar atrophy symptoms over time. Dilantin or phenytoin, an anticonvulsant drug used to treat tonic-clonic and partial seizures has also been connected to characteristic cerebellar atrophy symptoms. This fact has made it difficult to determine the primary causation in epilepsy patients displaying the telltale motor characteristics.

Dilantin was discovered in 1908 and was used to prevent convulsions during the era when electroshock therapy was at its heyday. By 1940, it was introduced as an anticonvulsant drug and heralded new competition in the marketplace to come up with new and better formulations to treat various types of seizure disorders.

Today, Dilantin or phenytoin is very inexpensive to treat with as it has been on the market as a “grandfather” epilepsy drug for some time. It is no longer a first-choice treatment for most seizure conditions. It is, however, a tried and true option for emergency rooms and general physicians and it is frequently kept on hand to treat a very dangerous condition known as status epilepticus. Status epilepticus is a state of continual seizure that unless interrupted can prove to be fatal.

The prescriptive abilities of Dilantin appears to be the best choice for some patients and situations. The increased risk of developing cerebellar atrophy symptoms is more often related to long-term treatment rather than dosage.

Discontinuance of the medication can often resolve the motor difficulties, but this should never be done without the supervision of the prescribing doctor. Others may not recover their full motor capacities after years of treatment with this drug.

Patients who suffer from cerebellar atrophy symptoms after taking Dilantin may qualify to participate in a free Dilantin class action lawsuit investigation.