ataxia
Meaning of ataxia: Ataxia is impaired coordination of voluntary movement, causing unsteady walking, clumsy limb motion, or imprecise gestures despite normal muscle strength.
Definition of ataxia
Ataxia is a lack of coordination during voluntary movement that is not explained by muscle weakness. It can affect walking, producing an unsteady or wide-based gait, or affect the limbs, producing clumsy, imprecise, or poorly timed movements when reaching for or manipulating an object.
Ataxia most often results from a problem in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that coordinates movement, or in the nerve pathways that carry information to and from it, though it can also arise from problems affecting sensory nerves that relay position sense from the limbs. Possible causes include structural brain conditions, certain medications and toxins, nerve damage, and a group of inherited and acquired conditions specifically defined by progressive ataxia.
Evaluating ataxia typically involves a detailed neurologic examination together with imaging or other testing to identify where in the nervous system the problem is occurring and what may be causing it.
Used in a sentence
The neurologic examination revealed gait ataxia with difficulty performing coordinated heel-to-shin testing.
Good to know
Ataxia reflects a coordination problem rather than weakness; a person with ataxia can have full muscle strength yet be unable to perform smooth, accurately targeted movements.
Word origin
Where “ataxia” comes from
Formed from Greek a-, meaning "without," and taxis, meaning "order" or "arrangement."