by ARSACS | Sep 25, 2025 | Current Research
As cerebellar dysfunction is thought to underlie ARSACS pathology, work from the McKinney lab focus on identifying novel disease-causing mechanisms in a mouse model of ARSACS, as well as implementing new therapeutic approaches to ameliorate cerebellar function and...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
Our research project aims to improve our understanding of ARSACS. Through an in-depth analysis of the brain of a deceased patient who generously consented to organ donation for research purposes, we identified abnormalities like those observed in...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
Our project aims to accelerate drug discovery for ARSACS by using advanced single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) to test 8 therapeutic candidates in the ARSACS mouse model (including ongoing studies led by Drs. Gentil/Durham, and Drs. Lim/Schmahmann). Unlike...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
This research focuses on developing a potential gene therapy for ARSACS, a rare inherited neurological disease. Scientists created a smaller version of the faulty protein (called minisacsin) that can fit into a viral vector for delivery to nerve cells. In mouse...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) was described in 1978 as a unique form of ataxia accompanied with motor speech anomalies, muscle wasting phenotypes, and peripheral nerve complications. Genetic studies have established that ARSACS is...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
The Sacs knock-out (KO) mouse is a faithful model of ARSACS, displaying ataxia, muscle weakness, cerebellar degeneration, and, as we have recently shown, learning and memory deficits. With this proposal, we seek to pharmacologically rescue motor- and cognitive...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
A central theme in cerebellar ataxia is mutations in genes encoding calcium regulatory genes, highlighting the selective vulnerability of Purkinje neurons to alteration of calcium fluxes. We have recently demonstrated that the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel (VGCC)...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) is a rare inherited disease that damages the nervous system and muscles, caused by faults in a protein called sacsin. There is currently no cure, and existing treatments only ease some symptoms. To...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
In ARSACS, the cerebellum, critical for coordination and balance, is one of the most affected brain regions. Within the cerebellum, communication between Purkinje cells and the cerebellar nuclei, which helps integrate signals and execute coordinated movements, begins...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
As many other neurodegenerative diseases, ARSACS is also a matter of inflammation. Recent researches clarified that high levels of Sacsin protein are present in astrocytes and microglia, the cell populations of the brain that act like principal mediators of...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
The involvement of the corticospinal tracts (CST) and cerebellum are the disease hallmarks of ARSACS. Previous radiological studies documented the presence of specific findings which were described as linear hypointensities in T2-weighted images at the level of...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
Loss of sacsin affect neurons in the cerebellum, but the role of other, non-neuronal brain cells in ARSACS has been less studied. The team discovered high amounts of sacsin in the cells that form the blood-brain barrier—a protective layer that keeps harmful substances...
by ARSACS | Sep 24, 2025 | Current Research
This project aims to discover new therapeutic targets and potential drugs for ARSACS by combining blood samples from patients with advanced iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cell) technology and artificial intelligence (AI). The team will analyze gene expression patterns...
