A Case of Cerebellar Psychopathology

BackgroundPathology of the cerebellum has traditionally been associated with motor symptoms, vertigo, and nystagmus. Patients with cerebellar disorders do not usually receive psychiatric evaluations.ObjectiveThe authors seek to alert clinicians to the association between cerebellar disease and psychiatric symptoms.MethodThe authors describe a patient with uncommon psychiatric morbidity associated with cerebellar dysfunction, and provide a brief review of previous research on this phenomenon.ResultsNeurology consultants suggested that physical exam findings and behavioral changes could be accounted for by cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome. This syndrome involves dysfunction of the cerebellum, including classic cerebellar findings, in addition to cognitive difficulties and affective/personality changes.ConclusionThe suspected etiology was post-infectious cerebellitis from Epstein-Barr virus infection.