Cerebellar degeneration and Meige's syndrome

Abstract

We have reported a case of Meige's syndrome in a middle-aged man who eventually had a cerebellar degeneration syndrome. The extrapyramidal symptoms preceded cerebellar signs and symptoms by 5 years. Most patients with idiopathic Meige's syndrome show some improvement with high-dose anticholinergic therapy. Our patient's lack of response to such agents and his subsequent cerebellar symptoms are reminiscent of the situation seen with parkinsonian patients who do not respond to medications, indicating a more widespread degenerative disease. The association of extrapyramidal symptoms with some spinocerebellar disorders, and the pathologic changes seen in the one reported autopsy case, should place the group of spinocerebellar disorders high on the differential list.