Finding a cure for any neurological disorder begins with
the scientific study of the disorder’s causes, the brain processes that
underlie the disorder, and the changes that occur in the brains of people
suffering from that disorder. For the spinocerebellar ataxias, a group of
movement disorders characterized by problems with balance and coordination, such
scientific studies are still needed.
Through an established collaboration between the New York brain bank at
Columbia University and Yale School of Medicine, we have developed an interest
and expertise in studying the brains of patients with disorders that involve
the cerebellum. To that end, we have begun to study the brains of patients with
spincocerebellar ataxia. There is still much to learn and we must overcome
a severe shortage of brains for scientific study.
If you have been diagnosed with a spinocerebellar ataxia with genetic confirmation, donating your brain tissue in the hours immediately after your death is of utmost importance in providing crucial information about what causes ataxia. Direct analysis of the shape and number of nerve cells and their content will provide medical researchers with the information they need in order to understand this complex illness. By advancing our medical knowledge of spinocerebellar ataxia, the gift of brain tissue is a central piece of the puzzle in the search to develop better treatments and find a cure.
If you have been diagnosed with a spinocerebellar ataxia with genetic confirmation, donating your brain tissue in the hours immediately after your death is of utmost importance in providing crucial information about what causes ataxia. Direct analysis of the shape and number of nerve cells and their content will provide medical researchers with the information they need in order to understand this complex illness. By advancing our medical knowledge of spinocerebellar ataxia, the gift of brain tissue is a central piece of the puzzle in the search to develop better treatments and find a cure.
