Research Grant

Arnulf H. Koeppen, M.D. and Farrukh Shaikh, M.D.

VA Medical Center, Albany, NY
Repository (tissue bank) of specimens for ataxia research

The purpose of this program is to collect autopsy specimens of brain, spinal cord, nerves, eyes, heart, and pancreas for intramural and extramural neuroscience research. The spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) often affect brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. SCA-7 characteristically involves the retina, causing pigmentary retinopathy and blindness. Friedreich’s ataxia (FRDA) is a disease of dorsal root ganglia, peripheral nerves, spinal cord, and brain. Occasionally, the optic nerves are also involved. The disease causes major heart disease and diabetes mellitus. Therefore, heart tissues and the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas are interest to ataxia researchers. The repository is of the shared type because the investigators will make available tissue samples to other researchers who study SCA or FRDA. The repository also collects and distributes tissue samples of patients with sporadic ataxia, such as multiple system atrophy (MSA). The repository does not provide tissues for transplantation though families may decide at the time of autopsy of the patient with ataxia to donate tissues that are not affected by SCA, FRDA, or MSA. Examples are corneas and bone.