News

Study to Explore Rare Gene Mutation Found in Spinocerebellar Ataxia

A study supported by a research grant from the National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) will explore the underlying mutation of the recently described spinocerebellar ataxia, type 41 (SCA41). In addition to producing new insights into spinocerebellar ataxia mechanisms, the study could contribute to improved diagnostics. Only one case with spinocerebellar ataxia and a…

NAF Supports Study Exploring Mitochondrial Defects in Skeletal Muscle in Cerebellar Ataxia 2

The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) recently awarded four post-doctoral fellowship grants covering various aspects of ataxia research. In a project focusing on autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia 2, Pankaj Kumar Singh at the Institut Génétique Biologie Moléculaire Cellulaire, in France, explores how mitochondrial defects contribute to disease mechanisms in…

National Ataxia Foundation Awards Grant to Researcher Exploring Disease Signatures in Stem Cells

The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) recently awarded four post-doctoral fellowship grants covering various aspects of ataxia research. Magda Matos Santana at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, in Portugal, was among the recipients, recognized for her exploration of advanced models based on induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) of Machado-Joseph disease (MJD)…

Research Award Granted for Spinocerebellar Ataxia Study that May Lead to Novel Therapy

A study titled “Oligonucleotide-based Therapy in BAC-Mouse Models of SCA14” by researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle was recognized with a Pioneer SCA (spinocerebellar ataxia) Translational Research Award for its potential to develop a future SCA therapy. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 14 (SCA14) is a dominant ataxia that, unlike Friedreich’s ataxia, is not caused…

Severity of Gene Mutation in Friedreich’s Ataxia Linked in Study to Glucose Tolerance

The severity of abnormal glucose regulation in people with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is linked to the extent of their genetic mutation, according to researchers at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia — a finding that might deepen understanding of disrupted glucose metabolism in FA patients. The genetic mutation underlying Friedreich’s ataxia is composed of repeats of…

Metabolic Alterations Found in Platelets of FA Patients May Serve as Therapeutic Biomarkers

Metabolic analysis of platelets from patients with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS), revealed metabolic alterations that may be the focus of future therapeutics, according to a study, “Stable isotopes and LC–MS for monitoring metabolic disturbances in Friedreich’s ataxia platelets,” published in the Bioanalysis journal. FA is a genetic disease caused…