Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Downbeat nystagmus as an initial clinical sign in spinocerebellar ataxia type 6

  • Letter to the Editor
  • Published:
Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

References

  1. Schols L, Bauer P, Schmidt T, Schulte T, Riess O (2004) Autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias: clinical features, genetics, and pathogenesis. Lancet Neurol 3(5):291–304. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(04)00737-9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Leigh RJ, Zee DS (2015) The neurology of eye movements, vol 90. Oxford University Press, USA

    Google Scholar 

  3. Yabe I, Sasaki H, Takeichi N, Takei A, Hamada T, Fukushima K, Tashiro K (2003) Positional vertigo and macroscopic downbeat positioning nystagmus in spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6). J Neurol 250(4):440–443. doi:10.1007/s00415-003-1020-5

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Gomez CM, Thompson RM, Gammack JT, Perlman SL, Dobyns WB, Truwit CL, Zee DS, Clark HB, Anderson JH (1997) Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6: gaze-evoked and vertical nystagmus, Purkinje cell degeneration, and variable age of onset. Ann Neurol 42(6):933–950. doi:10.1002/ana.410420616

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Klockgether T (2010) Sporadic ataxia with adult onset: classification and diagnostic criteria. Lancet Neurol 9(1):94–104. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(09)70305-9

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, 2-1-1 Higashi-Tsukurimichi, Aomori, 030-8551, Japan

    Tatsuya Ueno, Chieko Suzuki, Jin-ichi Nunomura & Masahiko Tomiyama

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori, Japan

    Hisanori Nishizawa

Authors
  1. Tatsuya Ueno
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hisanori Nishizawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chieko Suzuki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jin-ichi Nunomura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Masahiko Tomiyama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tatsuya Ueno.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Electronic supplementary material

Online Resource 1.

In the sitting position, spontaneous downbeat nystagmus (DBN) was observed during primary gaze. The amplitude of DBN increased during lateral gaze, and decreased during downgaze. Smooth pursuit was slightly saccadic in all directions, although saccade was normal. The horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex was impaired. Cancellation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex was also impaired. Using a charge coupled device camera, spontaneous DBN was also observed in the left eye in the supine position. Limb ataxia was not observed. The patient was able to perform the closed leg standing position with her open eyes. However, her standing position was slightly unstable with her eyes closed. The patient showed a mild wide-based gait. (MP4 44624 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ueno, T., Nishizawa, H., Suzuki, C. et al. Downbeat nystagmus as an initial clinical sign in spinocerebellar ataxia type 6. Neurol Sci 38, 1543–1545 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-2973-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-017-2973-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation