Occupational therapy intervention using visual blockage in patients with cerebral ataxia: A case with worsening ataxia of the upper left limb under visual recognition

Abstract

We report a case of cerebral ataxia with worsening ataxia of the upper left limb under visual recognition. The patient was a man in his 50s with left hemiplegia and higher brain dysfunction due to subcortical hemorrhage in the right frontal to the parietal association cortex. It was difficult to use the paralyzed upper limb in daily life due to worsening of the upper left limb ataxia under visual recognition. The exacerbation of ataxia under visual recognition may have been largely influenced by the damaged premotor cortex. Therefore, we intervened with occupational therapy for body pointing and gripping movements using visual blockage. As a result, the upper left limb function improved, and the patient was able to grasp a rice bowl with the paralyzed upper limb in daily life. The results suggest that occupational therapy intervention using visual blockage in patients with cerebral ataxia may contribute to both improving the upper limb function and increasing the frequency of use of the paralyzed upper limb in daily life.