Sensory ataxia

What it means

Incoordination of movement caused by a deficit in the sensory nervous system. Sensory ataxia can be distinguished from cerebellar ataxia by asking the patient to close his or her eyes. Persons with cerebellar ataxia show only a minimal worsening of symptoms, whereas persons with sensory ataxia show a marked worsening of symptoms.

Afferent (seonsory) ataxia is caused by lackof proprioceptive feedback during gait and stance. It can be caused by lesions to the peripheral nerves, the dorsal root ganglia, or the spinal cord. It can be distinguished from cerebellar ataxia by (1) heavy dependence of the affected individual on visual guidance; (2) a minor degree of oculomotor deficits; and (3) the absence of dysarthria. Afferent ataxia may be associated with impaired tendon reflexes and sensory deficits.

Rare diseases that can present with this7

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Afferent ataxia · Ataxia, sensory · Spinal ataxia