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Olivopontocerebellar atrophy

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Definition:

Olivopontocerebellar atrophy is a disease that causes certain brain areas to shrink.

Alternative Names:

OPCA; Olivopontocerebellar degeneration

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Olivopontocerebellar atrophy can be passed down through families (inherited form), or it may affect people without a known family history (sporadic form).

The cause of olivopontocerebellar atrophy in those without a history of the disease is not known. The disease slowly gets worse (is progressive).

Symptoms tend to start sooner in people with the familial form. This disease is slightly more common in men than in women.

• Review Date: 9/10/2006
• Reviewed By: Daniel Kantor, M.D., Director of the Comprehensive MS Center, Neuroscience Institute, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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