Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0007758 (cerebellar ataxia)
 3,609 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We propose a serotonergic hypothesis for cerebellar ataxia. The levorotatory form of 5 hydroxytryptophan has been shown to be partially active in subtypes of cerebellar ataxia, including cerebellar cortical atrophy (CCA). Buspirone, a 5-HT1A agonist usable in human medicine, has been studied in a group of 14 patients with cerebellar cortical atrophy. Patients were given Buspirone for 2 months. The evaluation of cerebellar ataxia was made by a semi-quantitative scale, 10 fully quantitative measures and measurements of the sway path and sway area of the center of gravity at posturography. The primary endpoints were the modifications of the ataxia scores. At 2 months, the decrease of the ataxia scores was significant, both in the intention-to-treat (14 cases) and target (11 cases) populations. In the target population, secondary endpoints like the time measurements for pronouncing a standard sentence, the time for drawing a ladder and posturographic parameters were significantly improved; the mean global ataxia score was improved by 37.4%. These preliminary data might confirm a link between cerebellar ataxia and the metabolism of serotonin.
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PMID:[Effect of buspirone, a serotonergic 5-HT-1A agonist in cerebellar ataxia: a pilot study. Preliminary communication]. 878 1

We have previously proposed a serotonergic hypothesis for cerebellar ataxia and mentioned that the levorotatory form of 5-hydroxytryptophan, a serotonin precursor, is partially active in subtypes of cerebellar ataxia, including cerebellar cortical atrophy (CCA). It has been demonstrated that 5-HT1A serotonergic receptors play an important role in the control of Purkinje cells discharges and in the inhibition of the release of glutamate by cerebellar glutamatergic terminals. To test further the serotonergic hypothesis of cerebellar ataxia, we administered buspirone, a 5-HT1A agonist usable in human medicine, in a randomized double blind drug placebo trial for 4 months. Nineteen patients with CCA were included; nine patients were given placebo and 10 Buspirone, at the mean dose of 0.69 mg/kg. The evaluation of ataxia was based on a static and a kinetic ataxia scale, fully quantitative measures and the evaluation of the sway path and area at posturography. At 4 months, a significant effect of buspirone was observed for drug induced gains of the kinetic score, two items of the static score, and the maximum duration of standing upright with feet together. These results indicate that a novel chemical therapeutic approach is possible for cerebellar ataxia; moreover, they support the existence of a link between cerebellar ataxia and disturbances of the serotonergic cerebellar system, especially a serotonergic deficit.
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PMID:Buspirone, a serotonergic 5-HT1A agonist, is active in cerebellar ataxia. A new fact in favor of the serotonergic theory of ataxia. 919 69