• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.802-813
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• 2018

This case report describes a patient with olivopontocerebellar atrophy accompanied by sleep disorder and gait disturbance whose condition was improved by treatment with Korean medicine. The 61-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with olivopontocerebellar atrophy (Multiple Systemic Atrophy-Cerebellum), was admitted to hospital twice and treated with Korean medicine (acupuncture and herbal medicine) and rehabilitation. The Korean medicine was Gwibiondam-tang-gami and Jaeumgeonbi-tang-gami. Clinical symptoms were assessed by the Modified Bathel index, functional independent measurement, Berg balance scale, and Unified Multiple System Atrophy rating scale. A brain MRI at the one-year follow up after onset showed similar progress but clinical symptoms were improved after treatment, and the evaluation index score increased. Multiple system atrophy, a type of degenerative neurological disease, has no targeted treatment. In this situation, although this report describes a single case, Korean medicine treatment could provide a meaningful improvement in the sleep disturbance and gait disorder symptoms of patients with olivopontocerebellar atrophy.