Clinical perspective and overview of spinal cord disorders and cerebellar ataxias

230The spinal cord acts as the main route for the transmission of information from the brain to the effector organs, and thus any injury to the spinal cord impairs this transmission, resulting in various disorders. The region of the brain responsible for controlling movement is the cerebellum; any cerebellar dysfunction causes mobility and other posture abnormalities. Both genetic and non-genetic causes are responsible for spinal cord disorders and cerebellar ataxias (CAs), which may include spinal cord syndromes, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, spinocerebellar ataxia, Friedreich ataxia, and degenerative disorders. Since these disorders have a huge impact on the life of the person, it is necessary to study the clinical perspective, including the causes and risk factors of these disorders. In this chapter, causes, clinical features, management strategies along with various differential considerations that must be considered in the diagnosis of various spinal cord disorders and CAs have been discussed along with the treatment therapies that are available.