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Support Cells Under Stress: A New Perspective on Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 7 Written by Siddhesh SabnisEdited by Katie Deschamps, PhD Although scientists have known the genetic cause of spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA) for many years, they still don’t fully understand why there are no treatments that can slow down Read More…
Written by Jacen Emerson Edited by Pragya Goel, PhD Regular stationary bike training improves ataxia symptoms within months according to a clinical trial. Home cardio may outperform traditional balance training A new clinical trial has identified daily aerobic exercise as an effective home treatment for reducing ataxia symptoms. With Read More…
Written by Jamie Hyde Edited by Marija Cvetanovic, PhD “A new matched stem cell model gives SCA1 researchers a clearer way to study disease mechanisms and test potential treatments.” Using human stem cells to model SCA1 Without the right comparison, even the best disease model can give unclear answers. Spinocerebellar Read More…
Written by Juan MatoEdited by Jacen Emerson A new drug may help steady movement and improve daily life for people with ataxia-telangiectasia. Small improvements in motor control can have massive effects for individuals living with ataxia-telangiectasia, a rare inherited neurodegenerative disease with no current FDA- approved treatment. Ataxia-telangiectasia, affecting 1 Read More…
Written by Ray Truant, PhDEdited by Celeste Suart, PhD How the gut helps clean the brain In 2013, neuroscientists used mouse models to show that during deep Random Eye Movement (REM) sleep, the structure of the brain changes, opens up like a sponge to help clear out metabolites and misfolded Read More…
Written by Anastasiya Potapenko Edited by Asmer Aliyeva Tiny tags, big impact: new research reveals chemical tags on ataxin-3 protein influences its behavior and may contribute to brain cell death in SCA3. The genetic cause of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) was discovered over three decades ago. Since then, scientists Read More…
Written by Tala Ortiz Edited by Celeste Suart, PhD Ever wonder if experiences early in life impact symptoms of a genetic disease? Researchers found that genetics isn’t the only thing to consider in SCA6 Does the environment play a role in genetic diseases? That is the question these authors aim to answer in the context Read More…
Written by Ross Pelzel Edited by Dr. Larissa Nitschke New mouse studies show that mutant ataxin-2 causes dramatically more damage in older animals, revealing aging as an independent driver of disease severity In Afonso et al. 2022, the authors set out to understand how age influences the development of symptoms in spinocerebellar ataxia Read More…
Written by Yujia Li Edited by Celeste Suart, PhD Walking test in a hospital is not the same as walking at home. Wearable sensors show that real-world walking is more variable than in the hospital. We don’t usually think about how we walk until walking starts to feel different. Walking actually takes more effort than we realize. In spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) patients, changes Read More…
Written by Élyse Zadigue-Dubé Edited by Priscila Pereira Sena New research in SCA6 mouse models suggests boosting BDNF-TrkB signaling could change the game. Is there a world where an SCA6 diagnosis does not equate to a life sentence of motor incoordination? A study by Cook and colleagues investigated a signaling Read More…
