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To cite this article: Gemma Kelly BSc (Honors) PT & Jackie Shanley MCSP, MSc, PT (2016):
Rehabilitation of ataxic gait following cerebellar lesions: Applying theory to practice,
Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2016.1202364
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Download by: [Simon Fraser University] Date: 02 August 2016, At: 07:49
PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09593985.2016.1202364
DESCRIPTIVE REPORT
CONTACT Gemma Kelly, BSc (Honors) PT gkelly@thechildrenstrust.org.uk The Children’s Trust – Physiotherapy, Tadworth Court, Tadworth Surrey,
Tadworth, KT20 5RU, UK.
Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/iptp.
© 2016 Taylor & Francis
2 G. KELLY AND J. SHANLEY
(D’Angelo, 2011). In order to influence motor output, granule cells, and this can influence timing of their
the cerebellum must process descending information firing. Thus, the simultaneous synthesizing, control-
from the cerebral cortex relating to intended move- ling, and learning from inputs from multiple sources
ment, with the ascending information relating to the can influence the output of the Purkinje cells, which
sensory consequences of that movement (Marsden and in turn will influence the planning, timing, and coor-
Harris, 2011). Ataxic gait is a compensatory gait pattern dination of muscle activity.
that occurs when the cerebellum is unable to fulfill This complex function of the cerebellum is required
these roles (Thach and Bastian, 2004). Marsden and for many human activities including walking, which
Harris (2011) suggest that individuals with ataxia face requires simultaneous control of multiple muscle
many challenges, including coordination difficulties, groups around each joint, coordination of multiple
decreased ability to learn from movement errors, joints within each limb, and coordination of inter-
reduced anticipatory postural control, and poor balance limb activity. Thus, it is not surprising that individuals
reactions. The location and severity of the pathology with impaired cerebellar function find walking highly
will determine the presentation in each individual. The challenging and develop less efficient, compensatory
following section will discuss each component of ataxic strategies, for example hyperextending their knees to
gait, explore the neural mechanisms involved, and pro- increase knee joint stability. Therapy therefore needs
vide theoretically informed suggestions for therapy to target the underlying postural instability rather than
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interventions. This is then summarized in Table 1. the compensation, in order to remediate the gait
abnormality. It has been found in the upper limb that
individuals with ataxia have better control of isolated
Coordination difficulties
joint activity, as compared to multijoint activity
Difficulty in timing and coordination of inter- and (Zachowski, Thach, and Bastian, 2002). Consequently,
intra-limb muscles is one of the key impairments physiotherapists may choose to limit the number of
experienced by individuals with cerebellar lesions joints the individual has to control simultaneously, for
(Dietriches, 2008). The cerebellum has a key role in example targeting trunk control in perched sitting,
controlling timing of muscle activity by processing while the hip, knee, and ankle joints are in a stable
both motor commands and sensory feedback
(Marsden and Harrison, 2011). Understanding the
cerebellum’s functioning at a cellular level can clarify
how this occurs.
Mossy fibers bring information to the cerebellum
from the cerebral cortex regarding intention to move,
and from sensory receptors of the body, relaying infor-
mation about the sensory consequences of the move-
ment which is occurring (Marsden and Harris, 2011),
as shown in Figure 1. Three to five mossy fibers form
excitatory synapses with each granule cell. Golgi cells
also form inhibitory synapses with granule cells. The
granule cells form parallel fibers which then synapse
with thousands of Purkinje cells, the output cells of the
cerebellum (Carey, 2011). These Purkinje cells relay
information out of the cerebellum via the deep cerebel-
lar or vestibular nuclei to influence either the motor
areas of the cerebral cortex or the descending motor
pathways (Bear, Connors, and Paradiso, 2007).
Recent research conducted by D’Angelo et al.
(2010) suggests that synthesis of sensory information
from the body (including somatosensory, propriocep-
tive, visual, and vestibular information), with
information about intention to move (from the
cerebral cortex), occurs throughout the cerebellum.
Additionally, D’Angelo et al. (2010) found that the Figure 1. The cellular functioning of the cerebellum (Leach and
Golgi cells can have an inhibitory effect on the McManus, 2012).
PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE 3
position. As trunk control develops, postural control Difficulties with motor learning
can be further challenged by progressing to standing.
The relationship between climbing fibers, parallel
An additional strategy may include the provision of
fibers, and Purkinje cells has a role in motor learning,
external aids to provide stability, for example, stabiliz-
as well as the short-term adaptation of movements.
ing the ankle with splints might allow greater efficiency
Each climbing fiber entering the cerebellum winds
of hip and knee movement.
around one Purkinje cell, synapsing with it hundreds
of times. Firing of a climbing fiber will automatically
Difficulty adapting to movement error activate the Purkinje cell in a complex spike. Activation
of many parallel fibers on the same Purkinje cell will
Individuals with cerebellar lesions present with difficul-
also make it fire but in a simple spike (Bear, Connors,
ties in adapting their movements to new environments
and Paradiso, 2007). Simultaneous climbing fiber and
or unexpected disturbances (Ilg et al., 2008), for exam-
parallel fiber activity causes weakening of the parallel
ple, if the floor becomes slippery, or people are moving
fiber–Purkinje cell synapse due to an influx of calcium
around them in unpredictable patterns. This can be
into the Purkinje cell, making it less receptive to neu-
explained by exploring the role of the second group of
rotransmitters released by parallel fibers. Repeated
fibers, called climbing fibers, which bring information
occurrences lead to long-term depression (LTD), with
to the cerebellum for processing. These climbing fibers
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Difficulties consolidating movement skills This has significant implications in gait rehabilita-
tion for individuals with ataxia, as the cerebellar lesion
In addition to difficulties with learning skills through
could impact their ability to consolidate motor learning
trial and error, individuals with cerebellar ataxia are
in order to make gait an automatic process. Thus, high-
also likely to have difficulty consolidating their skills,
intensity practice of necessary skills is required, with
to allow them to be used automatically (Ilg, Golia,
increased repetitions and minimal breaks between prac-
Tider, and Giese, 2007). This difficulty could be
tice sessions. Individuals with more severe damage may
explained by examining how Purkinje cells drive plas-
always need to rely on cortical control of gait, where
ticity in the deep cerebellar and vestibular nuclei
they have to actively think about each step, rather than
(D’Angelo, 2011) where consolidation of motor learn-
it occurring automatically. This was highlighted by
ing is thought to occur (Wulft et al., 2009). Park et al.
Mihara et al. (2007) who found greater activity in the
(2010) demonstrated this through performing func-
motor cortex during steady-state walking in individuals
tional MRI (fMRI) scans of healthy individuals during
with cerebellar damage compared to healthy indivi-
motor learning tasks. They found that the cerebellar
duals. This suggests that physiotherapists may need to
cortex (i.e., granule layer) was more active in the initial
teach patients to consciously attend to their walking
stages of learning, coinciding with a high level of cor-
and the particular components that are required to
tical activity, and that the deep cerebellar nuclei became
achieve an optimal gait pattern. Additionally, this lack
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Table 1. The characteristics of ataxic gait, neural mechanisms, and potential rehabilitation strategies.
Symptoms Mechanisms Rehabilitation strategies
Poor coordination and grading Impaired cerebellar processing of simultaneously incoming ● Exercises to improve postural stability
of muscle power information relating to intended movement (from the cerebral ● Reducing degrees of freedom, e.g., positioning,
cortex) and body movement (from sensory receptors) splinting
● Provision of external support, e.g., orthotics,
walking aids
Reduced ability to adapt to Impairment in the climbing fiber–Purkinje cell system: ● Graded exposure to environmental challenges
changes in environment ● Climbing fibers from inferior olive normally fire when there is ● Set up environment to reduce unexpected
unexpected body movement (error signal) movement demands.
● Triggers a strong response in Purkinje cell (the output pathway ● Sensory cues/prompts
from the cerebellum) ● Conscious attention to walking rather than
● Adaptive motor response is initiated automatic execution
Reduced ability to learn from Impaired plasticity between Purkinje cell and parallel fibers: ● Use of stepwise prompts to learn rather than
movement error ● Simultaneous firing of climbing fiber (signaling error in move- trial and error
ment) and parallel fiber (signaling intended movement) cause ● High levels of repetition
long-term depressing (LTD) of synapses controlling that ● Conscious attention to walking rather than
movement automatic execution
● Weakening of movement pathway and subsequent impaired
learning
Reduced ability to consolidate Impaired plasticity within deep cerebellar nuclei (which normally ● High intensity of practice
learning in order to walk occurs as learned movements become automatic) ● Conscious attention to walking rather than
automatically automatic execution
Reduced postural control, Altered regulation of descending motor pathways ● Specific strength and balance training
reduced muscle tone, ● Compensatory strategies to increase stability, for
tremor example using wide base of support, slowing
down movement.
● Environmental cues to prepare for movement
● Walking aids
Altered timing of stepping Impaired functioning of automatic gait control centers. ● Conscious attention to walking
● Avoid secondary tasks while walking
PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE 5
Difficulties associated with specific cerebellar in controlling coordination for automatic balance
lesions reactions and smooth movement. Individuals with
damage to this part of the cerebellum present with
While the cerebellum has a uniform cytoarchitecture
central hypotonia, postural tremor, increased pos-
and method of processing information, its different
tural sway, hypermetric balance reactions, and lim-
lobes (Figure 2) receive input from different parts of
ited preparatory postural control (Morton and
the body or cerebral cortex and outputs affect different
Bastian, 2007). Clinically, this means that they pre-
pathways. Lesions in specific parts of the cerebellum
sent with poor stability and reduced functional bal-
will therefore have different effects on gait patterns (Ilg
ance (Ioffe, Chernikova, and Ustinova, 2008).
et al., 2008). These are summarized in Table 2.
Additionally, damage to this area can lead to poor
However, focal cerebellar damage is rare in humans
intra-limb coordination (Thach and Bastian, 2004).
because even if a specific lesion occurs, swelling, pres-
Martin, Tan, Bragge, and Bialocerkowi (2009)
sure, and circulatory disturbances are common
suggest that specific strength and balance training
(Dietrichs, 2008). Therefore, although it is important
customized to individual difficulties can be an effec-
that physiotherapists understand the role of the differ-
tive treatment intervention. Additionally, teaching
ent regions of the cerebellum in order to better target
individuals to prepare themselves for movement by
treatment, it is likely that symptoms observed in clinical
using environmental cues, such as aligning them-
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cognitive attendance to it may be unrealistic. their gait appeared normal (Reisman, Bastian, and
Instead, concentrating on achieving safe walking, Morton, 2010). The study described earlier by Ilg
regardless of the pattern, and without a secondary et al. (2008) found that individuals with cerebrocere-
task, may be more realistic. bellar tumors also had difficulties in foot placement.
However, these individuals scored highly on standar-
dized gait and balance outcome measures used by phy-
Vestibulocerebellum: Difficulty with balance and siotherapy departments, as difficulties resulting from
eye control their lesion only become evident in challenging envir-
The vestibulocerebellum receives input from the vestib- onments, for example, stepping over objects. This sug-
ular system through mossy fibers and visual informa- gests that therapists need to assess individuals with
tion through climbing fibers. Its output fibers project to cerebellar lesions when walking in real-life environ-
the vestibular nuclei and eye muscles (Broussard and ments to gain an accurate picture of the level of dis-
Kassardijan, 2004). It has a role in balance, as well as ability. Therapy needs to target the factors that are
being important in regulating the vestibular ocular challenging for the individuals using specific strategies
reflex (VOR), which allows gaze stability with head to overcome them. For those with more severe neuro-
movement (Porter, 1993). Thus, a useful strategy for logical damage, living environments may need to be
made obstacle free, and the use of a walking aid or
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Table 2. Symptoms of lesions in specific areas of the cerebellum and potential rehabilitation strategies.
Specific area of
cerebellum Symptoms Rehabilitation strategies
Spinocerebellum Central hypotonia ● Specific strength and balance training customized to individual
Poor anticipatory postural control difficulties
Abnormal balance responses ● Use of environmental cues
Difficulties with automatic gait control ● Walking aids
● Teaching strategies to cortically control walking
Vestibulocerebellum Reduced balance and control of vestibular ocular reflex ● Specific strength and balance training
● Compensatory head fixing or retraining of VOR
Cerebrocerebellum Reduced timing and control of movement (e.g., foot ● Retraining of gait in functional environments
placement) ● Adapting the individuals environment to avoid obstacles
PHYSIOTHERAPY THEORY AND PRACTICE 7
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