Ataxia is the loss of control of bodily movements and muscle coordination.

Not only does ataxia affect things like walking and picking up objects, it may also affect things like eye movements, speech and swallowing. Movement in a person affected by ataxia appears uncoordinated.

What causes ataxia can vary from person to person and can come from internal or external sources.

Keeping Track of What Causes Ataxia

Different parts of the body’s nervous system may be responsible for creating ataxia.

Problems in the brain and spinal cord as well as nerves that connect the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system may be implicated.

Commonly, however, problems with the cerebellum are the cause of ataxia. The cerebellum is located in the brain at the lower back of the head by the brain stem near the spinal cord.

The cerebellum is responsible for the coordination of movement. Abnormal gait can be a sign of dysfunction in the cerebellum. A person suffering from ataxia who is seen walking may appear to be intoxicated from alcohol.

Because alcohol affects the nerve cells in the cerebellum, the appearance of someone with ataxia and someone who is intoxicated are very similar.

Other symptoms of ataxia such as slurred speech and uncontrolled eye movements are also seen in both alcohol-induced intoxication as well as ataxia caused by other issues.

Cerebellar degeneration is a common cause of ataxia seen in patients. Degeneration of the cerebellum means that the nerve cells, known as neurons, die in the cerebellum and the connections between nerve cells are lost. Eventually, the cerebellum will show shrinkage on digital imaging.

Dilantin and Ataxia

Dilantin (phenytoin) is a medication that is known to cause cerebellar degeneration in patients who use it.

Dilantin is an anticonvulsant drug used to treat seizures in individuals who have epilepsy. It is also used “off-label” for a number of other conditions including mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, bipolar disorder and more.

A number of studies have suggested a link between Dilantin and cerebellar degeneration that leads to ataxia.

Initially, researchers hypothesized that perhaps the seizure activity itself was causing cerebellar degeneration, and that that was what causes ataxia.

However, the results of the research suggested that it was Dilantin use, not the seizures themselves, that could be associated with ataxia.

Much research cannot state with absolute certainty that a particular medication causes a particular medical condition. For example, the research can’t say for certain that Dilantin is what causes ataxia.

What the research does say is that it confirms a strong link or association that Dilantin use and cerebellar degeneration may occur together.

While some individuals are able to see improvement after discontinuing Dilantin, others may see that what causes ataxia following the discontinuing of the drug is unknown. It is suspected that in some individuals, Dilantin may lead to damage that cannot be reversed.

Filing a Dilantin and Ataxia Lawsuit

For some patients taking Dilantin, they felt they were not properly informed by the drug’s manufacturer of the potential that it could be what causes ataxia.

Patients suffering from ataxia as a result of cerebellar degeneration may choose to file a lawsuit against the drug’s manufacturer for any injuries that have resulted from the use of the drug.

A Dilantin attorney can review your case and help explain the legal options that are available to you.