National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Episodic ataxia


Other Names:
EA syndrome; Episodic Ataxia syndrome
Categories:
Subtypes:
Episodic ataxia refers to a group of conditions that affect the central nervous system.[1] It affects specific nerve fibers that carry messages to and from the brain in order to control body movement.[1] The condition causes episodes of poor coordination and balance (ataxia).[2] Episodes may last from a few seconds to several hours.[1] During an episode, affected people may experience dizziness; nausea; vomiting; migraine headaches; impaired vision; slurred speech; and/or ringing in the ears (tinnitus). An attack may also cause seizures, muscle weakness, and/or paralysis of one side of the body (hemiplegia). Age of onset, symptoms and severity can vary. Some people have several attacks per day, while others may have one or two per year.[2] Episodic ataxia may be caused by a mutation in any of several genes and is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. In some cases, the genetic cause is unknown.[2][1] Treatment may include medication that reduces or eliminates symptoms. In some cases, symptoms improve or go away on their own.[1]

At least 8 types of episodic ataxia have been recognized (referred to as types 1 through 8), which are distinguished based on their age of onset, features, and/or genetic cause.[2] 
Last updated: 4/21/2016

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources

  • The National Ataxia Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons affected by ataxia, provides lists of neurologists, ataxia clinics, and movement disorder clinics.

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Episodic ataxia. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • Coordination of Rare Diseases at Sanford (CoRDS) hosts a specific registry for patients with ataxia in partnership with the National Ataxia Foundation. The goal of the CoRDS registry is to connect as many patients and researchers as possible to help advance treatments and cures for rare diseases. The CoRDS registry is free for patients to enroll and for researchers to access.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

In-Depth Information

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) lists the subtypes and associated genes for Episodic ataxia in a table called Phenotypic Series. Each entry in OMIM includes a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Episodic ataxia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Selected Full-Text Journal Articles

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

  • I would like to obtain information about episodic ataxia type 5. My 44 year old son has been having serious ataxia episodes for a year. He was recently given a DNA test and the results show a heterozygous missense mutation of the CACNB4 gene. There seems to be little literature available online. Most articles require a subscription. Can you direct me to educational information? See answer


  1. Frequently Asked Questions About... Episodic Ataxia. National Ataxia Foundation. September, 2015; https://www.ataxia.org/pdf/Episodic%20Ataxia.pdf.
  2. Episodic ataxia. Genetics Home Reference. August 2008; http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/episodic-ataxia. Accessed 10/10/2011.