Corticobasal Degeneration

Corticobasal degeneration is a progressive neurological disorder. When you have this disorder, you lose nerve cells and multiple areas of your brain shrink. This includes the cerebral cortex and the basal ganglia.

Corticobasal degeneration progresses gradually.

Symptoms

The first symptoms, which typically begin at or around age 60, may first appear on one side of the body (unilateral). Eventually you will have symptoms on both sides of your body as the disease progresses. Symptoms are similar to those for Parkinson's disease. These include:

• poor coordination,
• akinesia (an absence of movements),
• rigidity (a resistance to imposed movement),
• disequilibrium (impaired balance), and
• limb dystonia (abnormal muscle postures).

You may also have other symptoms, such as:

• cognitive and visual-spatial impairments, apraxia (loss of the ability to make familiar, purposeful movements),
• hesitant and halting speech,
• myoclonus (muscular jerks), and
• dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).

An individual with corticobasal degeneration eventually becomes unable to walk.