What is ataxia with vitamin E deficiency?
Ataxia with vitamin E deficiency is a disorder that impairs the body’s ability to use vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects cells in the body from the damaging effects of unstable molecules called free radicals. Lack of vitamin E causes neurological problems, such as difficulty coordinating movements (ataxia) and speech (dysarthria), loss of reflexes in the legs (lower limb areflexia), and a loss of sensation in the extremities (peripheral neuropathy). A few people with this condition have developed an eye disorder called retinitis pigmentosa that causes vision loss. Most people who have ataxia with vitamin E deficiency start to experience problems with movement between the age of 4 years and 18 years. The movement problems tend to worsen with age.
