ACE applications are now open through October 15. Join a national network committed to providing high-quality, comprehensive Ataxia care. Apply Now!
Written by Ambika Tewari Edited by Brenda Toscano Márquez Trehalose, a natural autophagy inducer shows promise as a therapeutic candidate for MJD/SCA3 Every cell has an elaborate set of surveillance mechanisms to ensure optimal functioning. As proteins are synthesized, errors can occur leading to misfolded proteins. These abnormal proteins can Read More…
Polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, is a commonly used laboratory technique that was invented in the 1980s. The method has many applications in different fields, ranging from identifying individuals in forensic science, detecting pathogens in water supply, and genetic testing in medicine. PCR works by first obtaining a sample that Read More…
Written by Dr. Amy Smith-Dijak Edited by Logan Morrison Basic biology helps identify a new treatment for ataxia Drug design doesn’t always have to start with a blank slate. Sometimes understanding how existing drugs work can help researchers to design new ones, or even to recombine old drugs in new Read More…
What is DNA damage? As we go through life, our DNA undergoes a lot of stress, which can ultimately lead to DNA damage. The different stressors that can cause DNA damage are environmental factors such as UV light, radiation, and certain toxins. Additionally, DNA damage can be caused by metabolic Read More…
Written by Frida Niss Edited by Dr. Siddharth Nath Can neurodegeneration in SCA7 in part be due to faulty calcium homeostasis in the cerebellum? Polyglutamine diseases are caused by an increase in the length of CAG repeats within a specific gene. The mutation for spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) was Read More…
RNA-seq is a technology that has been used more and more in recent years to study both basic biology and disease. It’s a powerful tool has enabled scientific discovery at an unprecedented rate. But what exactly is RNA-seq? And, more importantly, what can it tell us? RNA-seq is short for Read More…
Written by Kim M. Gruver Edited by David Bushart What’s cognition got to do with ataxia? Could the cerebellum mediate both cognitive and motor symptoms in the same disease? And how can scientists use mice to find out? Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, or SCA1, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that Read More…
March 2023 Update: SKYCLARYS™ (Omaveloxolone) has become the first FDA-approved treatment for Friedreich’s Ataxia. You can learn more about SKYCLARYS™ at this link. This Snapshot was written in May 2020 after initial positive results were shared about Omaveloxolone. A new therapeutic compound shows promise to treat Friedrich’s ataxia. What is Read More…
Written by Dr. Michael Flower Edited by Dr. Rachel Harding Editor’s Note: This article was initially published by HDBuzz on March 13, 2020. They have graciously allowed us to build on their work and add a section on how this research may be relevant to ataxia. This additional writing was Read More…
Written by Dr. Maria do Carmo Costa, Edited by Dr. Hayley McLoughlin Collaboration between researchers in Portugal and the United Kingdom discover that a canola oil by-product shows promise, corrects MJD/SCA3 and Parkinson’s Disease symptoms in animal models. Isolated compounds or extracts (containing a mixture of compounds) from certain plants are Read More…
