cerebellar atrophy

cerebellar atrophy

Etymology: L, cerebellum + Gk, a + trophe, without nourishment

deterioration and wasting of tissues of the cerebellum. Causes of the condition include nutritional and metabolic factors such as alcohol abuse and degenerative disease. See also spinocerebellar disorder.

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cerebellar

pertaining to the cerebellum.

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cerebellar abiotrophy

occurs in cattle, pigs and dogs. Affected young are normal at birth but at an early age ataxia and signs of cerebellar dysfunction appear, often progressing to complete immobilization. Cerebral function is usually normal. An inherited basis is suspected. In Kerry blue terriers, it is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Called also cerebellar neuronal abiotrophy.

cerebellar agenesis

absence of the cerebellum due to its non-appearance in the embryo.

cerebellar aplasia

see cerebellar atrophy (below).

cerebellar ataxia

the incoordination of gait characterized by exaggerated movements. There is no paresis. There is exaggerated strength and distance of movement—hypermetria. Caused usually by damage to the cerebellum or to the spinocerebellar tracts. May be congenital due to cerebellar atrophy or acquired due to inflammation or malacia of the cerebellum.

cerebellar atrophy

degeneration and loss of cells—Purkinje and granular cells of the cerebellum. Present at birth or soon after, is congenital in sheep, cattle, Arab horses, dogs and cats. Some of the diseases are inherited, some are known to be due to virus infection in utero, e.g. bovine virus diarrhea, feline panleukopenia. Some are in fact abiotrophies, premature aging of tissues. In the latter the animals are normal at birth but develop classical signs later. Segmental atrophy occurs in pigs but is asymptomatic.

cerebellar coning

see cerebellar lipping (below), brain herniation.

cerebellar cortex

the superficial gray matter of the cerebellum.

cerebellar dysfunction

see cerebellar ataxia (above).

cerebellar dysmelinogenesis

recorded in Chow Chow dogs; characterized by congenital head tremor.

feline cerebellar ataxia

see feline panleukopenia.

cerebellar hypomyelinogenesis

abnormally reduced myelination in the cerebellum; characterized clinically by severe neonatal tremor.

cerebellar hypoplasia

deficiency of cells of the cerebellum, the degree and distribution of which is variable. See cerebellar atrophy (above).

inherited cerebellar defects

includes cerebellar abiotrophy, atrophy, agenesis, hypoplasia, neuraxonal dystrophy.

cerebellar lipping

caused by diffuse cerebral edema. The vermis of the cerebellum protrudes through the foramen magnum and lies like a tongue over the medulla.

cerebellar neuronal abiotrophy

see cerebellar abiotrophy (above).

cerebellar neuraxonal dystrophy

reported in collie sheepdogs. The lesion is limited to axons and there are no lesions in the cerebellar folial neurons.

cerebellar syndrome

see cerebellar ataxia (above).