Which sign is described as loss of the ability to coordinate muscles for complex movements?

• A. Slow and slurred speech
• B. Inability to judge distance
• C. Broad base of support during gait
• D. Loss of ability to coordinate muscles for complex movements

Answer: (D)

Ataxia, the condition described here, is the loss of ability to coordinate voluntary movements for complex tasks. The cerebellum tailors and synchronizes muscle activity to produce smooth, accurate actions; when this coordination is impaired, movements become unsteady, clumsy, and poorly timed. That is precisely what “loss of ability to coordinate muscles for complex movements” refers to. Other signs point to related cerebellar problems—slurred speech is dysarthria, inability to judge distance is dysmetria, and a broad base of support describes an ataxic gait—but the general description of losing coordinated control best captures the concept of ataxia.