ACE applications are now open through October 15. Join a national network committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive Ataxia care. Apply Now!
Enhancing Community Through Professional Support For decades, NAF Support Groups have provided a welcoming place for people living with Ataxia, caregivers, family members, and loved ones to connect with others who understand their journey. Led by dedicated volunteer Support Group Leaders, these groups offer encouragement, shared experiences, and meaningful community. 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…
My story started in 2016 with double vision and eye movements. I went to the neuro ophthalmologist who suggested fixing my problem with Yankee my glasses down over my nose! So much for seeing him! The issue continued and I went to a neurologist who tested me for myasthenia gravis. Read More…
Guest Author: Pinalben “Pinky” Patel My vision has never been 20/20. Okay, maybe it was up until my preteen years. This disease I have affects the eye muscles and nerves as well. In honor of the ADA anniversary, I’m sharing this article previously published in Breath & Shadow magazine. I Read More…
Why do we need mouse models for disease research? Mouse models are crucial for understanding human diseases. They allow researchers to study how diseases develop and to test potential treatments in ways that wouldn’t be possible in humans. But how do scientists create mouse models that mimic specific diseases? One widely used Read More…
When I had my tinnitus investigated in 2007, a balance disorder was discovered. I was put in touch with a neurologist who suspected something called Ataxia. I have had poor balance my whole life and have had difficulty with certain games and sports. Music and art were my salvation. I 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…
Finding Balance: My Journey to a Rare Diagnosis For years, I brushed off the dizziness, fatigue, and the way my feet sometimes seemed to have minds of their own. I’d trip over nothing, bump into door frames, and occasionally lose my balance mid-step. Friends would laugh and call me “graceful Read More…
My name is Jorge Alonso, I am 33 years old I was diagnosed with ataxia at 31 or 30, although I really felt the disease since I was 15 years old, before I played soccer, suddenly I fell I began to feel limitations when I ran so I stopped playing, Read More…
Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) are standards for nonclinical research studies. These standards must be met before the research data can be accepted and reviewed by a regulatory agency. A nonclinical study involves experiments to determine the safety of a product. But not in people! Nonclinical studies are performed before they are ever tested in people. Examples might be laboratory-based research, preclinical trials using animal models, toxicology assessments, or even environmental studies. Only after the Read More…
