4-Aminopyridine improves gait variability and reduces fall risk in patients with cerebellar gait disorders

Aims: The fall risk of patients with cerebellar disorders is markedly increased. These falls cause immobility due to serious injuries or a fear of falling. Therefore, reducing the fall risk is the major goal in symptomatic treatment of cerebellar gait disorders. We examined the effect of the potassium channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) on the gait performance of patients with different cerebellar syndromes. Patients and Methods: 31 patients with different cerebellar gait disorders (16 downbeat nystagmus, 8 sporadic adult-onset ataxia, 3 CACNA 1A mutation, 2 cerebellar stroke, 2 multisystem atrophy) received…