Could Tai-chi Help Maintain Balance of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Patients
Could Tai-chi Help Maintain Balance of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Patients
Spinocerebellar atrophy is the most common autosomal dominant inherited ataxia. There are
 over thirty subtypes, which characterize neurologic features differently. They all have
 obvious substantial cerebellar atrophies in image, and unstable gait、ataxia. In general a
 prevalence of about three cases per 100 000 people is assumed, but this may be an
 underestimate. Progressive neurologic degeneration, in about 10-20 years, will leads to
 disability or wheelchair-dependent. Accompanying with fatigue, downhill course of the disease
 often made patients depressive and hopeless. The recent review of researches concludes no
 effective therapy for the disease. The purpose of the investigator's study is to explore the
 Tai-chi exercise effect for spinocerebellar ataxia.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  progressive ataxia accompanied with the observation of cerebellar atrophy on magnetic
 resonance or computed tomography images

 -  SARA score of less than 20

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with complicated cerebellar disorders, such as multiple system atrophy,
 Parkinson-plus syndromes, secondary cerebellar degeneration from encephalitis, trauma,
 hypoxia, cerebrovascular diseases, and toxic- or drug-induced cerebellar degeneration

 -  SARA score of larger than 20