The Ataxia Community Comes Together in Orlando April 9–11, 2026 for the Annual Ataxia Conference! LEARN MORE
A collection of resources for individuals and families affected by Unknown Ataxia with Family History.
People affected by Ataxia may experience problems with using their fingers and hands, arms or legs, walking, speaking, swallowing, or moving their eyes.
For complete information about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Ataxia, visit our What is Ataxia? page. This page contains NAF’s resources that are specific to Unknown Ataxia with Family History.
Many types of Ataxia are caused by a genetic mutation that is passed on from parents to their children. However, in some cases, people with a clear family history of Ataxia symptoms receive negative genetic testing results. This means that their type of Ataxia is not caused by currently known ataxia genetic mutations. People in this scenario are given a diagnosis of Unknown Ataxia with Family History. Other terms for Unknown Ataxia with Family History include SCA type Unknown, Cerebellar Ataxia, Idiopathic Late-Onset Cerebellar Ataxia (ILOCA), or Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy (OPCA). This unknown diagnosis may change over time, as new ataxia genes are discovered and more genetic testing options become available worldwide.
This page contains NAF’s webinars that are specific to individuals with an unknown type of Ataxia who have family members who have Ataxia. If you do not have any family members with similar symptoms, please visit our Unknown Ataxia without Family History page.
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Presented by Yasushi Kisanuki, MD
This webinar covers the causes and symptoms of Unknown Ataxia with Family History, the typical diagnostic journey for those affected, and what to expect for clinical care.
Presented by Martine Tétreault, PhD
This webinar covers how Unknown Ataxia with Family History is studied and gives an overview of the current state of research and drug development for the disease.
NAF offers webinars on many topics to help you live better with Ataxia. Visit www.ataxia.org/webinars to find other helpful presentations.
Participating in a research study or clinical trial is one way to take an active role in furthering understanding and treatment of Ataxia. It is also a way to get access to new treatment options before they are widely available. To find studies that are enrolling patients, visit our Help Develop New Treatments page.
SCAsource provides Ataxia research news, directly from researchers to the Ataxia community. Visit SCAsource to see their full collection. Here is a collection of articles about Unknown Ataxia Type with Family Hisotry.
Written by Dr. Hayley McLoughlin and Dr. Sharan Srinivasan Edited by Dr. Celeste Suart A novel genetic sequencing technology uncovered numerous familial ataxia cases linked to a unique mutation in Read More…
Most things about you are written in your genes: from the colour of your eyes, whether you are lactose intolerant, to if you have a higher chance of getting certain 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 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 Read More…
Riluzole, often sold under the trade name Rilutek, is a medication used for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that mainly affects neurons Read More…
Written by Dr. David Bushart Edited by Dr. Sriram Jayabal How can employment be made more accessible for ataxia patients? What barriers exist? A study of workers and non-workers with Read More…
