View clinical trials related to Hereditary Ataxia.
Filter by:Hereditary ataxias (HA) are a heterogeneous group of degenerative diseases of the cerebellum, brain stem and spinal cord. People who suffer from AH, among other symptoms, present deficiencies in the stability of the trunk, which leads to an alteration in postural control, with a strongly influential factor in the loss of balance and gait disorders. Improving the functionality of these physical aspects can help reduce the rate of falls, increase autonomy and quality of life for people with HA. Evidence suggests that rehabilitation strategies based on core stability exercises (CSE) are effective in improving balance and postural control in several neurological diseases, such as stroke. However, there is little evidence with people with HA. In a previous study carried out by researchers of this project, in which an EEC exercise program was piloted at home, low adherence to treatment was perceived due to the little follow-up that was given to the participants. Therefore, including telerehabilitation in these programs would increase follow-up and could influence adherence.
This study aim to investigate the neuroimaging changes of hereditary ataxia patients, especially in the SCA3 patients in preclinical or mild stage.
The investigators aimed to find appropriate biomarkers such as serum neurofilament light chain in reflecting disease severity in hereditary ataxia from a large cohort during long-term follow-up. The disease severity is indicated by clinical scales and brain MRI tests.
The hereditary ataxias are a group of genetic disorders characterized by slowly progressive incoordination of gait and balance impairments in sitting and standing. Trunk local stability during gait is lower in patients with degenerative ataxia than that in healthy adult population. Given the fact that drug interventions are rare in degenerative diseases and limited to only specific type of diseases and symptoms, physiotherapy is a major cornerstone in current therapy of ataxic gait. Core stability exercises training could be included as an adjunct to conventional balance training in improving dynamic balance and gait. Due to the nature of the interventions, the study will have a single blind design.
The Hereditary Ataxias are a group of genetic disorders characterized by slowly progressive incoordination of gait and often associated with poor coordination of hands, speech, and eye movements. Current treatments for Hereditary Ataxias are mainly pharmacological, rehabilitative, or psychological treatments，while no effective treatment available. Stem Cell therapy is a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for Hereditary Ataxias treatment. In this study, the safety and efficacy of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells transplantation will be evaluated in patients with Hereditary Ataxias.
Cerebellar disorders are often disabling and symptomatic therapies are limited to few options that are partially effective. It seems therefore appropriate to search for additional approaches. Purkinje cells are the sole output of the cerebellar cortex: they project inhibitory signals to the deep cerebellar nuclei (DCN), which have a critical role in cerebellar function and motor performance. DCN neurons fire spontaneously in the absence of synaptic input from Purkinje neurons and modulation of the DCN response by Purkinje input is believed to be responsible for coordination of movement. Recent evidences support the notion that an increase in DCN excitability may be an important step in the development of cerebellar ataxia and point to the underlying molecular mechanisms: the inhibition of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels, that causes an increase of the firing frequency in DCN, correlates with cerebellar ataxia. The rationale of the present project is that SK channel openers, such as riluzole, may have a beneficial effect on cerebellar ataxia. The researchers propose to perform a pilot study investigating safety and efficacy of riluzole, an approved treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as a symptomatic approach in patients with chronic cerebellar ataxia.
OBJECTIVES: I. Clinically evaluate members from families with a dominantly inherited ataxia and collect blood, skin and muscle samples for detailed molecular studies. II. Perform detailed clinical evaluations on patients with recessively inherited ataxias.