CLINICAL-CEREBELLAR SIGNS

SUMMARY

TIP: The main signs can be remembered by the mnemonic DDANISH

1. Dysdiadokinesia - inability to perform and sustain a series of rapidly alternating muscle movements (typically flipping one hand rapidly in the palm of the other).

2. Dysmetria - disturbance in the trajectory during active movement resulting in hypometria (under-shooting) or hypermetria (over-shooting).

3. Ataxia - defined as incoordination of muscle movement that is not due to paresis, alteration in tone, loss of postural sense, or the presence of involuntary movements.

4. Nystagmus - a repetitive, involuntary oscillation of the eyes. The patient may also complain of blurred vision.

5. Intention tremor - a wide tremor during voluntary movements, such as holding out the hands.

6. Slurred speech - speech may be imprecise, slow and distorted.

7. Hypotonia - patient may have decreased muscle tone on the side of the lesion.

Reference(s)

Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].