Cerebellar Degeneration Press Releases

For the first time, researchers have linked mutations in a gene that regulates how potassium enters cells to a neurodegenerative disease and to another disorder that causes mental retardation and coordination problems. The findings may lead to new ways of treating a broad range of disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

A new study shows that most patients with movement disorders caused by damage to the cerebellum also have psychiatric symptoms. The study suggests that patients with cerebellar diseases may benefit from screening and treatment of psychiatric symptoms.

Scientists studying a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1) have found an effective way to "silence" the mutant gene allele or variant that causes the disorder while leaving the normal gene allele unaffected.
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