News

Eye movement abnormalities may help detect, track FA progression

People with Friedreich’s ataxia often show abnormalities in their eye movements and looking for characteristic changes there may help diagnose the disease and track its progression, a review study finds. “Quantitative oculomotor [eye movement] testing in [Friedreich’s ataxia] may facilitate early diagnosis and provide value in monitoring disease…

Diazoxide-loaded droplets may be promising therapeutic approach

Diazoxide, a medication used to treat high blood pressure, protected cells — isolated from a person with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) — against cellular damage caused by oxidative stress, suggesting it could be repurposed to treat the disease. Because diazoxide can’t make it to the brain, which is affected by…

High TSPO protein levels found protective in fruit fly model of FA

Increasing the levels of a protein known as TSPO in glial cells — which provide nutrients to nerve cells and help with their communication — extended survival and improved mobility in a fruit fly model of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA). These preclinical findings suggest that “TSPO might be a relevant therapeutic target for this…

Iron-mediated cell death could be heart disease management target

Inhibiting ferroptosis, a type of iron-dependent cell death, could be a promising therapeutic strategy for heart disease management in people with Friedreich’s ataxia, a study found. Through a series of experiments, scientists found that mice lacking a protein called SIRT3 in heart cells showed cellular properties similar to what’s…