What does the cerebellum do?
The cerebellum is a part of the brain that helps with movement and balance. It has two main jobs:
1. Checking if our movements match what we intended to do.
2. Adjusting our movements as needed.
What causes cerebellar dysfunction?
Cerebellar dysfunction can be caused by:
1. Blood flow problems (vascular)
2. Head injuries (trauma)
3. Tumors
4. Infections
Signs and symptoms of cerebellar dysfunction:
Damage to the cerebellum can cause problems on the same side of the body. These problems include:
1. Ataxia (loss of coordination)
2. Balance and posture problems
3. Tremors (shaking) when standing or moving
4. Difficulty moving the right distance (dysmetria)
5. Unsteady walking (stagerring gait)
6. Breaking down movements into small steps (movement decomposition)
7. Trouble switching between movements quickly (dysdiachokinesia)
8. Slurred speech (dysarthria)
9. Eye movement problems
10. Low muscle tone (hypotonia)
11. Generalized weakness (asthenia)
12. Intention tremor (shaking during voluntary movement)
Physical therapy assessment:
A physical therapist will check for these symptoms by:
1. Testing muscle tone and reflexes
2. Checking for weakness (asthenia)
3. Evaluating balance and posture
4. Testing movement distance (dysmetria)
5. Observing walking patterns (gait disturbances)
6. Checking for trouble switching between movements quickly (dysdiadochinesia)
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