What Is Alcoholic Cerebellar Degeneration?

As you may know, drinking alcohol can cause impairment and motor incoordination. However, you may not realize that this affects the tissue in the part of your brain called the cerebellum, which is known as the “little brain” and is responsible for a variety of functions. 

Excessive alcohol use may cause alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, a cerebellar disease.

Alcoholic cerebellar degeneration is one of the common ways tissue in the brain is damaged. This is known as cerebellar ataxia. Chronic alcoholism can lead to ataxia in the cerebellum. 

Chronic alcoholics may be at higher risk for developing alcoholic cerebellar degeneration due to regular or chronic alcohol abuse.

Alcohol’s Effects On The Brain

Alcohol targets the central nervous system of the body, causing impairment and loss of motor functions. Heavy drinkers have an increased risk of falling and other accidents. Those who drink in excess may suffer a more serious form of impairment such as cerebellar degeneration.

This is due to alcohol consumption that affects both motor and cognitive processes. This type of brain damage may result in the following:

• dysarthria (slurred or irregular speech)
• poor control of posture
• ataxia (unsteady movements)
• gaze nystagmus (uncontrollable eye movements)
• acute cerebellar lesions

The anterior superior vermis is the brain tissue that receives structural damage due to alcohol use. This area may also develop shrinkage of cells.

Later Stages Of Cerebellar Degeneration

Since nerve cells in the cerebellum communicate with nerve cells in the spinal cord and brainstem, other parts of the body are likely affected due to the degeneration. 

For instance, you can see abnormalities with your posture as well as your lower and upper limbs. In severe cases, those with cerebellar degeneration may develop movement impairment.

Cerebellar atrophy may develop in the late stages of the cerebellum degeneration process. This specifically causes the loss of Purkinje cells, which are large nerve cells in the central part of the cerebellum that separates the left/right hemisphere of the brain (which is called the vermis). 

Seeing A Doctor

Doctors may use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) to determine the state of your cerebellar vermis. 

Doctors who see alcoholic patients will likely search for a gait ataxia imbalance. Before coming to any conclusion, your health care provider may want to rule out other potential problems.

Family History Of Alcohol-Related Problems

Doctors will ask if you have a family history of alcohol abuse or alcohol-related neuropathology in order to determine if the symptoms you’re experiencing are from cerebellar degeneration caused by alcohol.

Even though spinocerebellar ataxia is a rare disease, it can cause a variety of symptoms such as dysarthria (slurred or dysfunction of speech), ataxia, and peripheral neuropathy. This disease causes similar symptoms as cerebellar degeneration. 

Treatment

Since cerebellar degeneration causes a thiamine deficiency, treatment may consist of receiving thiamine, B12 vitamins for any malnutrition you’ve suffered, as well as physical therapy to assist with body movement.

If you’re concerned about your alcohol intake, contact our helpline. One of our specialists will be more than happy to help answer your questions and find a treatment program that’s right for you.