Research Grant

S.H. Subramony, MD

The University of Florida, Gainesville
New initiative for clinical research on ataxia

Feasibility of rational treatments of ataxic disorders has been gradually improving since early 1990s because of our increasing understanding of the pathogenic mechanism and the development of animal models. Concerted therapeutic trials have been launched in the field of other neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease, with limited but encouraging success. However, with the exception of Friedreich's ataxia, effective cooperative efforts to develop treatments of other primary ataxic disorders have not started. There is strong need for organizing and facilitating the clinical research efforts on these ataxic disorders, especially degenerative ataxias, which are fatal disorders with relentless progression and devastating disability. The goal of this proposal is to launch major concerted efforts to initiate clinical research on patients with degenerative ataxic disorders including the creation of the National Ataxia Registry.