Cerebellum atrophy with no known cause

I saw the results of the MRIs and MRA I’ve had since last Friday. Of course I am not a doctor so I don’t totally understand the reports. What I did figure out is that my arteries feeding my brain are normal.
The MRI of my brain shows white matter disease, & atrophy consistent with the physical and mental symptoms I am experiencing. I have to let my neurologist tell me if I have gotten worse than 2 years ago.

@dd2312 the more I learn about Ataxia the more I think that it’s very real for me.
My gait, uncoordinated movements and vision issues are pointing in that direction.
Thankfully, the PA in my neurologist office trained at a world renowned neurology center. I believe he is the one who can help me more than the doctor!

I have brain burning and there is also and electrified feeling in my brain. During the middle of night recently I had a burst in my upper left brain that woke me up. Since then I have much more dizziness (visually also) and pain Rt in area where it happened.. and word losses. I have not had mri bc they make my damaged nerves hurt on and on. Can anyone shed any light on this frightening event?

@SusanEllen66 Gait, coordinating movement and the coordination of moving your eyes in conjunction with your balance (eye muscles are innervated by cranial nerves that are coordinated by the cerebellum) all point to cerebellum. This all makes sense.

It’s great that your PC can be most helpful. If you haven’t already, please ask the PA how gait, coordination of movement and eye movement are all part of the function of the cerebellum. Please ask the PA to show you a model or a diagram of the cerebellum and where it is in relationship to your brain. I find models and pictures are most helpful in these explanations.

@irr4et I have a background in teaching neuroscience so I can answer some questions about brain anatomy and how it works. However, I can’t diagnose as I’m not a medical professional and diagnoses cannot be made here.

The brain does not have any sensation. It does direct sensation to and from other parts of your body. Is it possible that what you’re feeling in your upper left head is in the scalp, on top of your skull? There are lots and lots of nerve endings there. Also, there is another explanation. One of the structures deep in the brain, in the thalamus, is responsible for directing brain pathways for pain, temperature, and touch. Something going on in the thalamus might explain the burning sensation too. This is just a guess. Only a neurologist can make a diagnosis when you’ve been evaluated.

The loss of words - did you have trouble speaking? Felt like you couldn’t remember the words? Did that coincide with the dizziness? That’s something definitely to talk with your doctor about.

Since you can’t have an MRI, what does your doctor suggest instead?

I do have a good neurologist. I’ve been thinking it’s my scalp too. My scalp is squeezing my skull - I actually occ hear little bones snap. I’m scheduled for MRI Tuesday. They make my already sick painful Occipital Nerve on left go nuts with even more pain for yrs. I think he will order another EEG. TU for explaining the brain to me. I can see how my Thalamus could be involved bc I have Central Pain Syndrome (constant pain signals), skin very sensitive to touch, and I’m so very intolerant of cold weather.

I have a ? How would a neurologist determine if there is something wrong with the thalamus?

Have you been tested for Arnold Chiari Malformation?

@irr4et Thank you for letting me know that my explanation of the brain was helpful to you. When you do see your neurologist I hope you will also ask about the pains and electric-like shocks you feel in your scalp. I suggest you come prepared with a list of questions. The cranial nerves provide sensation (and movement) to your face, mouth, neck, and head so you can ask the neurologist about the cranial nerves too. The cranial nerves travel on different pathways than the thalamus which is deep within the brain, underneath the cerebral cortex.

I hope that the MRI will give you some information that the neurologist can interpret for you. And make some recommendations that will be helpful to you.

@irr4et I’m not a neurologist but here is what I think could happen. The MRI could show something. That’s why physicians order scans.

When the neurologist does a physical exam in the office they are evaluating your nervous system. Your symptoms that you described here and what you describe to the neurologist, as well as the physical exam that the neurologist does will help answer questions about what parts of the nervous system could be involved with your symptoms. The brain is so very complicated and the thalamus and its pathways are only one piece of a puzzle.

Does that help answer your question?