Cerebellar abnormalities are associated with deficits in posture, volitional movements, balance, and gait (reviewed by Steinlin 2008). Cerebellar vermian volume in chronic alcoholics correlates with postural sway, with longer duration of sobriety related to improved balance (Sullivan et al. 2006). Hyperkinetic movements that are a hallmark of the primarily hyperactive subtype of ADHD are likely to be associated with a nonlinear volume loss in the cerebellar vermis (Mackie et al. 2007). Given the high prevalence of alcohol abuse in patients with ADHD, these disorders may share a genetic liability in the form of morphometric abnormalities of the cerebellum that underlie the documented premorbid deficits in posture and gait. As noted previously, motor deficits have been identified in the offspring of alcohol dependent individuals prior to prolonged alcohol exposure.
