Autoimmune cerebellar degeneration or cerebellitis (Q84136)

Autoimmune cerebellar degeneration is an inflammatory disorder of the cerebellum which typically manifests subacutely with symptoms (imbalance and in-co-ordination) and signs (e.g. ataxia) referable to the cerebellum. Cerebellitis usually occurs in children and may be due to primary infection, a post-infectious autoimmune or post-vaccineal process. MRI may show enhancement of folia within an enlarged cerebellum and an inflammatory spinal fluid is typical. In adults autoimmune cerebellar degeneration is similar to paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration [see definition] but unrelated to cancer. Accompanying neural autoantibodies may be found (e.g. glutamic-acid-decarboxylase-65). It is also important to exclude other causes of ataxia (e.g. Wernickes encephalopathy).