Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome
(1) Background: Cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) is characterized by late-onset cerebellar ataxia, bilateral vestibulopathy, and sensory neuronopathy mostly due to biallelic RFC1 expansion. (2) Objectives: The aim of this case series is to describe vestibu...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/10/1467 |
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| author | Giulia Di Rauso Andrea Castellucci Francesco Cavallieri Andrea Tozzi Valentina Fioravanti Edoardo Monfrini Annalisa Gessani Jessica Rossi Isabella Campanini Andrea Merlo Dario Ronchi Manuela Napoli Rosario Pascarella Sara Grisanti Giuseppe Ferrulli Rossella Sabadini Alessio Di Fonzo Angelo Ghidini Franco Valzania |
| author_facet | Giulia Di Rauso Andrea Castellucci Francesco Cavallieri Andrea Tozzi Valentina Fioravanti Edoardo Monfrini Annalisa Gessani Jessica Rossi Isabella Campanini Andrea Merlo Dario Ronchi Manuela Napoli Rosario Pascarella Sara Grisanti Giuseppe Ferrulli Rossella Sabadini Alessio Di Fonzo Angelo Ghidini Franco Valzania |
| author_sort | Giulia Di Rauso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Background: Cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) is characterized by late-onset cerebellar ataxia, bilateral vestibulopathy, and sensory neuronopathy mostly due to biallelic RFC1 expansion. (2) Objectives: The aim of this case series is to describe vestibular, gait, and speech alterations in CANVAS via a systematic approach. (3) Methods: All patients (n = 5) underwent a standardized clinical–instrumental examination, including the perceptual and acoustic analysis of speech, instrumental gait, and balance analysis (posturographic data were acquired using a force plate [Kistler, Winterthur, Switzerland] while 3D gait analysis, inclusive of surface electromyography, was acquired using a motion capture system [SMART DX, BTS Bioengineering, Milan, Italy], a wireless electromyograph [FreeEMG, BTS Bioengineering, Milan, Italy]), and vestibular assessment with video-oculography. (4) Results: Five patients were included in the analysis: three females (patients A, B, C) and two males (patients D and E) with a mean age at evaluation of 62 years (SD ± 15.16, range 36–74). The mean age of symptoms’ onset was 55.6 years (SD ± 15.04, range 30–68), and patients were clinically and instrumentally evaluated with a mean disease duration of 6.4 years (SD ± 0.54, range 6–7). Video-Frenzel examination documented spontaneous downbeat nystagmus enhanced on bilateral gaze in all patients, except for one presenting with slight downbeat nystagmus in the supine position. All patients exhibited different degrees of symmetrically reduced VOR gain for allsix semicircular canals on the video-head impulse test and an unexpectedly normal (“false negative”) VOR suppression, consistent with combined cerebellar dysfunction and bilateral vestibular loss. Posturographic indices were outside their age-matched normative ranges in all patients, while 3D gait analysis highlighted a reduction in ankle dorsiflexion (limited forward rotation of the tibia over the stance foot during the stance phase of gait and fatigue of the dorsiflexor muscles) and variable out-of-phase activity of plantar flexors during the swing phase. Finally, perceptual-acoustic evaluation of speech showed ataxic dysarthria in three patients. Dysdiadochokinesis, rhythm instability, and irregularity were observed in the oral diadochokinesis task. (5) Conclusions: CANVAS is a recently discovered syndrome that is gaining more and more relevance within late-onset ataxias. In this paper, we aimed to contribute to a detailed description of its phenotype. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:23:15Z |
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| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:23:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2517cdea505e45ee90c705e5ea6f792e2023-11-19T15:53:21ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252023-10-011310146710.3390/brainsci13101467Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia SyndromeGiulia Di Rauso0Andrea Castellucci1Francesco Cavallieri2Andrea Tozzi3Valentina Fioravanti4Edoardo Monfrini5Annalisa Gessani6Jessica Rossi7Isabella Campanini8Andrea Merlo9Dario Ronchi10Manuela Napoli11Rosario Pascarella12Sara Grisanti13Giuseppe Ferrulli14Rossella Sabadini15Alessio Di Fonzo16Angelo Ghidini17Franco Valzania18Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, ItalyOtolaryngology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, 41125 Modena, ItalyNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyNeurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyNeurology, Neuroscience Head Neck Department, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena, 41126 Modena, ItalyNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyLAM-Motion Analysis Laboratory, Neuromotor and Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyLAM-Motion Analysis Laboratory, Neuromotor and Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyNeurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyNeuroradiology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyNeuroradiology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyClinical and Experimental Medicine PhD Program, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Reggio Emilia, ItalyOtorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department, University Hospital of Modena, 41125 Modena, ItalyNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyNeurology Unit, Foundation IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyOtolaryngology Unit, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, ItalyNeurology Unit, Neuromotor & Rehabilitation Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy(1) Background: Cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) is characterized by late-onset cerebellar ataxia, bilateral vestibulopathy, and sensory neuronopathy mostly due to biallelic RFC1 expansion. (2) Objectives: The aim of this case series is to describe vestibular, gait, and speech alterations in CANVAS via a systematic approach. (3) Methods: All patients (n = 5) underwent a standardized clinical–instrumental examination, including the perceptual and acoustic analysis of speech, instrumental gait, and balance analysis (posturographic data were acquired using a force plate [Kistler, Winterthur, Switzerland] while 3D gait analysis, inclusive of surface electromyography, was acquired using a motion capture system [SMART DX, BTS Bioengineering, Milan, Italy], a wireless electromyograph [FreeEMG, BTS Bioengineering, Milan, Italy]), and vestibular assessment with video-oculography. (4) Results: Five patients were included in the analysis: three females (patients A, B, C) and two males (patients D and E) with a mean age at evaluation of 62 years (SD ± 15.16, range 36–74). The mean age of symptoms’ onset was 55.6 years (SD ± 15.04, range 30–68), and patients were clinically and instrumentally evaluated with a mean disease duration of 6.4 years (SD ± 0.54, range 6–7). Video-Frenzel examination documented spontaneous downbeat nystagmus enhanced on bilateral gaze in all patients, except for one presenting with slight downbeat nystagmus in the supine position. All patients exhibited different degrees of symmetrically reduced VOR gain for allsix semicircular canals on the video-head impulse test and an unexpectedly normal (“false negative”) VOR suppression, consistent with combined cerebellar dysfunction and bilateral vestibular loss. Posturographic indices were outside their age-matched normative ranges in all patients, while 3D gait analysis highlighted a reduction in ankle dorsiflexion (limited forward rotation of the tibia over the stance foot during the stance phase of gait and fatigue of the dorsiflexor muscles) and variable out-of-phase activity of plantar flexors during the swing phase. Finally, perceptual-acoustic evaluation of speech showed ataxic dysarthria in three patients. Dysdiadochokinesis, rhythm instability, and irregularity were observed in the oral diadochokinesis task. (5) Conclusions: CANVAS is a recently discovered syndrome that is gaining more and more relevance within late-onset ataxias. In this paper, we aimed to contribute to a detailed description of its phenotype.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/10/1467ataxiabalanceCANVASdysarthriagaitRFC1 |
| spellingShingle | Giulia Di Rauso Andrea Castellucci Francesco Cavallieri Andrea Tozzi Valentina Fioravanti Edoardo Monfrini Annalisa Gessani Jessica Rossi Isabella Campanini Andrea Merlo Dario Ronchi Manuela Napoli Rosario Pascarella Sara Grisanti Giuseppe Ferrulli Rossella Sabadini Alessio Di Fonzo Angelo Ghidini Franco Valzania Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome Brain Sciences ataxia balance CANVAS dysarthria gait RFC1 |
| title | Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome |
| title_full | Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome |
| title_short | Speech, Gait, and Vestibular Function in Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome |
| title_sort | speech gait and vestibular function in cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome |
| topic | ataxia balance CANVAS dysarthria gait RFC1 |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/10/1467 |
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