Dilantin is a common anti-epileptic drug, meaning that it is used to treat epilepsy and seizures. Studies show that the drug can cause the tissue in the brain’s cerebellum to degenerate, lose neurons and lose connections between the neurons.

The cerebellum is located behind the brain stem and is divided into two hemispheres. Atrophy of this part of the brain is a serious condition, as the cerebellum regulates voluntary movements like speech, posture, and coordination.

Symptoms of cerebellar atrophy include:

• an unsteady, lurching gait, often including a back and forth tremor in the torso
• unsteady, jerky, or slow movements in limbs
• slurred or slow speech
• small, rapid movements in the eyes (nystagmus)
• memory loss

These symptoms can cause patients to have difficulty with basic tasks and movements. Many of the symptoms of cerebellar atrophy are similar to those of a stroke, or of drunkenness.

Cerebellar degeneration or atrophy has a range of causes, including strokes, seizures, tumors, and multiple sclerosis. Cerebellar atrophy can also be caused by the presence of toxins in the brain, from ethanol, chemotherapy, or drugs like Dilantin.

Atrophy, or degeneration, can occur not only in the cerebellum but in other parts of the brain. Broadly, this condition is called cerebral atrophy. Cerebral atrophy can be general, meaning it affects all areas of the brain, or it can be localized, meaning it affects only one area of the brain, as is reportedly the case in Dilantin side effects, because only the cerebellum is affected.

Research shows that cerebellar atrophy most commonly occurs in Dilantin patients who have taken the drug for a long time because the levels of the drug present in their symptoms tend to be higher. However, cerebellar atrophy can reportedly occur in patients who have taken the drug for shorter periods of time and have lower levels of the drug in their bodies.

Additionally, parents should note that research shows that children can experience cerebellar degeneration from Dilantin medication use, as Dilantin is commonly used to treat epilepsy in children.

Cerebral atrophy, and cerebellar atrophy in particular, is not necessarily irreversible. In the case of cerebellar atrophy caused by Dilantin, recovery is often possible when patients stop taking the drug. Experts stress that patients should not stop taking Dilantin without consulting their doctor, and that withdrawal from the medication should be carefully monitored by a doctor.

However, patients report that some cases of cerebellar atrophy from Dilantin were permanent. Most commonly, a lack of muscle coordination caused by cerebellar ataxia, a symptom of degeneration and atrophy, was permanent even after a patient stopped taking the drug.

In many cases in which drugs are discovered to be connected to severe side effects, drugs are held liable for the patient injury. A Dilantin lawsuit could hold drug manufacturers accountable for injury done by Dilantin’s connection to cerebral atrophy and cerebellar atrophy. 

If you took Dilantin and developed cerebellar atrophy, you may have a legal claim. Contacting an experienced Dilantin lawyer may help you gain compensation for physical, emotional, and financial injury caused by your cerebellar atrophy.