Page "Ataxia" Paragraph 19

Exogenous substances that cause ataxia mainly do so because they have a depressant effect on central nervous system function.

The most common example is ethanol, which is capable of causing reversible cerebellar and vestibular ataxia.

Other examples include various prescription drugs ( e. g. most antiepileptic drugs have cerebellar ataxia as a possible adverse effect ), Lithium level over 1. 5mEq / L, cannabis ingestion and various other recreational drugs ( e. g. ketamine, PCP or dextromethorphan, all of which are NMDA receptor antagonists that produce a dissociative state at high doses ).

Exposure to high levels of methylmercury, through consumption of fish with high mercury concentrations, is also a known cause of ataxia and other neurological disorders.