Summary: Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6 Protein Aggregates Cause Deficits in Motor Learning and Cerebellar Plasticity

[melanie_mark]

In humans, several mutations in a particular calcium channel, the P/Q type, lead to neurological diseases, one of which manifests to ataxia. Ataxia is a disorder where an individual loses coordination or control of muscle movement. SCA6, or spinocerebellar ataxia type 6, is a movement disorder, which results in the loss of a special type of neuron in the cerebellum called Purkinje cells. These neurons process sensory information to coordinate movements. The disease has a late onset and develops in the second period of life. Patients are often wheelchair-bound, and no therapies are available.

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