Ataxia Symptoms

Unsteady walking

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Problems with fine motor tasks like eating, writing, or buttoning a shirt

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Slurred or unclear speech

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Difficulty swallowing

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Unsteady walking • Problems with fine motor tasks like eating, writing, or buttoning a shirt • Slurred or unclear speech • Difficulty swallowing •

What is Ataxia?

There are many types—

The word "ataxia" comes from the Greek word a taxis, meaning “without order” or “incoordination.” Ataxia refers to a lack of coordination, often caused by damage to the parts of the nervous system that control movement and balance.

People living with ataxia may experience difficulties with:

  • Walking and balance

  • Fine motor skills (hands, arms, fingers)

  • Speech

  • Eye movements

Ataxia can be a symptom of many conditions (such as infections, injuries, or other diseases), but it is also the name for a group of rare neurological disorders that progressively affect coordination. These are called hereditary and sporadic ataxias.

🧬 Diagnosing Ataxia

Diagnosis typically includes:

  • Medical and family history review

  • A full neurological exam

  • Brain imaging (like an MRI)

  • Blood tests to rule out other causes

  • Genetic testing for confirmed or suspected hereditary types

🧬 Hereditary Ataxias

Hereditary ataxias are genetic, meaning they are caused by mutations (changes) in specific genes. These can be inherited in two ways:

Dominant Inheritance

  • Only one copy of the faulty gene (from one parent) is needed to cause symptoms.

Recessive Inheritance

  • Requires a “double dose” of the mutated gene — one from each parent — to result in disease.

  • Parents may be carriers without having symptoms.

  • A child of two carriers has:

    • 25% chance of developing the disease

    • 50% chance of being a carrier

    • 25% chance of being unaffected

This is why some families have no known history of ataxia, even when it's inherited — the gene may be silently passed down for generations.

🔹Our Focus: AOA2

At Brothers on a Quest, we specifically raise awareness and fund research for Ataxia with Oculomotor Apraxia Type 2 (AOA2) — a rare, autosomal recessive form of hereditary ataxia. AOA2 typically begins in adolescence and progressively affects balance, coordination, vision, and mobility. Our nonprofit works directly with Dr. Brent Fogel’s research lab at UCLA, one of the few teams in the world dedicated to studying AOA2, with the goal of advancing treatment and ultimately finding a cure.