Ataxia is a condition caused by problems in the part of the brain that controls coordination. Ataxia usually begins in early childhood, just as the child is learning to walk.

The hereditary ataxias are a group of rare inherited disorders that cause the brain and spinal cord to degenerate. They can affect a person anytime between infancy and adulthood. Major symptoms include a lack of coordination of the muscles used for voluntary movement.

Marie's ataxia is an inherited disorder of abnormal muscle coordination, usually beginning during young adulthood or middle age. This form of ataxia is characterized by unsteady walking. Nerve degeneration and weakening muscles in the legs, head and neck area and arms may occur. Cases that begin later in life may be mild with symptoms that can often be treated successfully.

There are many different causes for ataxia, ranging from inherited causes, infections, problems of the immune system to brain tumors and strokes. Chronic forms of ataxia are slowly progressive and are most often caused by a neurodegenerative disease process with a genetic cause.

There are many different ways to treat ataxia, depending on its cause.

For genetic forms of ataxia, proper diagnosis (using DNA and other blood tests, if possible) is important. This information can then be used to counsel relatives and, in some cases, to institute a drug therapy that may halt or reverse progression.