$1.14 million from CIHR will resolve treatment roadblocks for rare brain disorders
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Gene therapy for rare neurological disorders will move one step forward thanks to a $1.14 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
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Gene therapy for rare neurological disorders will move one step forward thanks to a $1.14 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
Imagine being middle aged and starting to feel that you are off balance a lot and that you are having a hard time coordinating your movements. Those are among the symptoms of Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, known as SCA6, a rare neurodegenerative disease which typically appears in adulthood and worsens over time. Over time, other problems such as slurred speech and difficulty seeing or seeing double, may also appear. It is estimated that fewer than 5,000 people in the US have the condition, which is the result of genetic mutations in the cerebellum.
A new study published on Dec. 14, 2022 in the New England Journal of Medicine reports the identification of a previously unknown genetic cause of a late-onset cerebellar ataxia, a discovery that will improve diagnosis and open new treatment avenues for this progressive condition.
Spinal cerebellar ataxia 6 (SCA6) is an inherited neurological condition which has a debilitating impact on motor coordination. Affecting around 1 in 100,000 people, the rarity of SCA6 has seen it attract only limited attention from medical researchers. To date, there is no known cure and only limited treatment options exist.
Now, a team of Ï㽶ÊÓƵ researchers specializing in SCA6 and other forms of ataxia, have published findings that not only offer hope for SCA6 sufferers but may also open the way to developing treatments for other movement disorders.
Industry and academia to share expertise in effort to develop improved methods to produce and characterize antibodies and reagents for neurological research
Research and clinical care complement each other at The Neuro
February 28th was Rare Diseases Day, an opportunity to recognize a class of disease that is often overlooked. In the past five years, the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (The Neuro) has made the study and treatment of rare diseases a major priority, hiring new specialists and support staff and coordinating activity under a new research group.