Experts divide ataxia into three main types. Acquired ataxia develops when the brain experiences a trauma. Brain traumas can include a stroke or brain tumor. Hereditary ataxia is a genetic condition. Symptoms of hereditary ataxia tend to develop more slowly. The most common cause of hereditary ataxia is a condition called Friedreich's Ataxia. Idiopathic late-onset cerebellar ataxia (ILOCA) develops when brain damage occurs over time. A person is diagnosed with ILOCA when there is no clear reason for the damage.

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