Progressive ataxia and palatal tremor (PAPT) with hypertrophic olivary degeneration (HOD): A case report

Abstract

Palatal tremor has been subdivided into essential (EPT) and symptomatic palatal tremor (SPT). Progressive ataxia and palatal tremor syndrome (PAPT) is a subgroup of symptomatic palatal tremor (SPT). It can be divided into familial and sporadic forms. Sporadic PAPT is characterized by progressive cerebellar degeneration. The cause of sporadic PAPT remains uncertain. MRI examination found an enlarged appearance of the olivary nuclei with increased signal intensity on T2 and FLAIR images. Here we report a case of a mid-adult-onset man which presents a worsening cerebellar progressive ataxia with palatal tremor, in whom imaging reveals abnormalities of the olivary nuclei with tardive cerebellar atrophy which has been diagnosed as a sporadic PAPT.

Keywords

• Palatal tremor
• Progressive ataxia
• Hypertrophic olivary degeneration