Ataxic Fantastic

  Sometimes the tears come out of nowhere.  Sometimes frustration spills over when the moment doesn’t seem to “match” the emotion. That’s not weakness. That’s neurology. When we talk neurological conditions we tend to focus on the physical, the more tangible and visible symptoms . But on this rare disease day I want to highlight less visible symptom, I want to talk about emotional regulation.  We usually point to the brain’s “thinking” centers. But the cerebellum (known for balance and coordination )also plays a quiet, powerful role in controlling emotion, timing, and emotional intensity. When the cerebellum is under strain, emotions can overflow. Not because someone is “too sensitive,” but because the brain’s internal volume control is misfiring. Ataxia is caused by damage to the cerebellumwhich is also responsible for managing emotion, cognition, and behavior. This is known as  Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome (CCAS) , which can causd personality changes, im...