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Written by Carrie Sheeler Edited by Dr. Hayley McLoughlin Researchers use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to determine if brain volume can be a biomarker for SCA3 There are two goals of preclinical research. First, to understand the cause of a disease. Second, to develop treatments to stop or slow its Read More…
Written by Dr Hannah K Shorrock Edited by Dr. Maria do Carmo Costa Neurofilament light chain predicts cerebellar atrophy across multiple types of spinocerebellar ataxia A team led by Alexandra Durr at the Paris Brain Institute identified that the levels of neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein are higher in SCA1, Read More…
The pole test is a common and straightforward test to assess motor coordination in mice. While ataxia might be easy to see in patients, it is not always as apparent in ataxia mouse models. Therefore, this fast and simple test is important for researchers to measure disease severity. It is Read More…
The SCAsource team is pleased to announce that we have become a partner of the Ataxia Global Initiative (AGI)! The AGI is an international collaboration to assist the development of treatments for ataxia. Some of the work of the AGI includes promoting open data sharing and building skills to prepare Read More…
The International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS) is an assessment of the degree of impairment in patients with cerebellar ataxia. It was developed in 1997 by the Committee of the World Federation of Neurology. The goal of ICARS is to provide a standardized clinical rating score to measure the efficacy Read More…
What is N-acetylcysteine used for? Cysteine is an amino acid that is used as a building block in our bodies to make proteins. We consume cysteine in our diets through protein-rich foods, like beef or lentils. N-acetylcysteine is a chemical derivative of cysteine. This means which means that N-acetylcysteine contains Read More…
Written by Ziyang Zhao Edited by Dr. Hayley McLoughlin A newly developed smartphone application will allow patients to assess ataxia at home. There’s an interesting problem in science that’s often overshadowed in the scientific community. It’s not as flashy or as newsworthy as most scientific headlines, like the eradication of Read More…
Nystagmus, also known as ocular ataxia, is a term that refers to uncontrollable eye movement- usually a repetitive cycle of slow movement in a specific direction followed by a quick adjustment back to center. The root of this movement lies in a normal reflex that we use every day: the Read More…
Written by Dr. Judit M Perez Ortiz Edited by Dr. Maria do Carmo Costa A druggable target in Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 1 (SCA1) shows promise in treating cerebellar and non-cerebellar aspects of disease. Spinocerebellar Ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is a neurodegenerative disease that typically starts with coordination difficulties (ataxia) in Read More…
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive method of brain stimulation. It promotes or inhibits activities in specific parts of the brain. tDCS is an experimental treatment that has been shown to result in changes in motor, cognitive and behavioural activities. It may be a valuable tool for the Read More…
