You might not have heard of spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 (SCA4), as it's an incredibly rare condition – but after a quarter of a century of
You might not have heard of spinocerebellar ataxia type 4 (SCA4), as it's an incredibly rare condition – but after a quarter of a century of looking, the genetic coding behind SCA4 has now been identified, potentially opening up new treatment options for this serious disease. An international team of researchers behind the discovery says that it pinpoints the cause of the debilitating disease for the first time. Those with SCA4 gradually develop worsening problems with walking and balance, and there's currently no cure. As SCA4 is clearly passed from generation to generation, scientists knew genetics were involved, but it took the latest in genome sequencing techniques, and a search of 6,495 genome sequencing datasets, to reveal that a section of a gene called ZFHX3 is the culprit behind the disease.
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