Sensory ataxia both a symptom and a sign in neurology. It is a form of ataxia (loss of coordination) caused not by cerebellar dysfunction but by loss of the sensory input into the control of movement. The term symptom (from the Greek syn = con/plus and pipto = fall, together meaning co-exist) has two similar meanings in the context of physical and mental health: A symptom may loosely be said to be a physical condition which shows that one has a particular illness or disorder (see... Sign can denote any of the following: Look up sign in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ataxia (from Greek ataxiā, meaning failure to put in order) is unsteady and clumsy motion of the limbs or trunk due to a failure of the fine coordination of muscle movements. ... Coordination or Co-ordination is the regulation of diverse elements into an integrated and harmonious operation. ... Figure 1a: A human brain, with the cerebellum in purple. ...

Sensory ataxia is distinguished from cerebellar ataxia by the presence of near-normal coordination when the movement in question is visually observed by the patient, but marked worsening of coordination when the eyes are closed. Ataxia (from Greek ataxiā, meaning failure to put in order) is unsteady and clumsy motion of the limbs or trunk due to a failure of the fine coordination of muscle movements. ...

Sensory ataxia also lacks the associated features of cerebellar ataxia such as pendular tendon reflexes, scanning dysarthria, nystagmus and broken pursuit eye movements. A reflex action or reflex is a biological control system linking stimulus to response and mediated by a reflex arc. ... Dysarthria (from new latin dys-, prefix meaning mis-, dis-, accidental + greek -arthro, joint) is an injury or symptom describing minor speech impediments, often slurred speech. ... Nystagmus is rapid involuntary rhythmic eye movement, with the eyes moving quickly in one direction (quick phase), and then slowly in the other (slow phase). ...

Patients with sensory ataxia often demonstrate pseudoathetosis and Romberg's sign. They usually complain of loss of balance in the dark, typically when closing their eyes in the shower or removing clothing over the head. Pseudoathetosis is abnormal writhing movements, usually of the fingers, caused by a failure of joint position sense (proprioception). ...

Sensory ataxia is present in sensory peripheral neuropathies and conditions causing dysfunciton of the dorsal columns of the spinal cord such as tabes dorsalis. Neuropathy is a disease of the peripheral or central nervous system. ... The spinal cord is a part of the vertebrate nervous system that is enclosed in and protected by the vertebral column (it passes through the spinal canal). ... Tabes dorsalis (also called locomotor ataxia) is a late form of syphilis resulting in a degeneration of the dorsal columns of the spinal cord and marked by shooting pains, emaciation, loss of muscular coordination (resulting in the wide-based unsteady gait characteristic of the disease), and disturbances of sensation and...

Further reading

Bastian, AJ. Mechanisms of ataxia. Physical therapy, Jun 1997:77(6),672-5