In: Anatomy and Physiology
Patt has been having difficulty maintaining his balance lately. He is visiting a neurologist to find out what’s wrong. The neurologist is taking him through some simple movement tasks and notices that his movements look very jerky and clumsy. When he points to targets, he over-reaches the target every time. When he’s asked to rapidly alternate between his palm and back of hand, his movements are very slow with lots of failed alternations.What is the diagnosis? Choose details from the question above to support your decision. What brain structure has likely been affected?
The patient suffers from ataxia it is a sign of failing coordination system in our nervous system. He is not able to coordinate the muscular movement like balance in walking, which affects his gait . When the physician asks him to do simple movements there is jerk and clumsiness. He also over reaches the target , thus his eye and hand coordination is worsening also he in not able to alternate his palm and dorsum of hand rapidly indicating dysdiadochokinesia .
The cerebellum has been affected. The cerebellum is a part of hind brain . It helps in coordination. It recieves sensory inputs and integrates to fine motor centres , controlling movements and maintaining equilibrium. Each cerebellum left and right maintains activity on ipsilateral side of the body . Main function of cerebellum are , coordination of movement on spontaneous stimuli, controlling posture and balance, eye movements and motor learning.
There are 3 functional divisions in cerebellum they are , spinocerebellum which receives proprioceptive inputs and prepares the motor plan to be initiated , cerebrocerebellum concerned with muscular coordination and voluntary movements , vestibulocerebellum controls axial and proximal limbs movements .
Certain tests are performed to monitor cerebellar functions:
They are finger nose test , rombergs test , gait , alternating hand movements, see for any signs of nystagmus .
If right side limbs are affected then the lesion will be on right side cerebellum.