Analysis of SCA2 and SCA3/MJD repeats in Parkinson's disease in mainland China: Genetic,clinical, and positron emission tomography findings

To investigate the prevalence and clinical feature(s) of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with expanded (ATXN2 and MJD1) genes of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 and 3 (SCA2 and SCA3/MJD) in a mainland Chinese population, CAG triplet repeat expansions of (SCA2 and SCA3/MJD) genes (ATXN2 and MJD1) were analyzed in a cohort of 452 PD patients, including 386 sporadic and 66 familial forms. Striatal dopamine transporter was evaluated in two SCA2 and two SCA3/MJD‐positive family members, an idiopathic PD patient and a healthy control using carbon (C11) [¹¹C]‐radiolabeled‐CFT positron emission tomography (PET). We found two patients in one familial PD (FPD) family (1.5%) and two sporadic PD patients (0.5%) with expanded CAG repeats in the ATXN2 locus, four patients in two FPD families (3%) and another three sporadic PD patients (0.8%) in the MJD1 locus. [¹¹C]‐CFT PET in detected members in SCA2 and SCA3/MJD families showed decrements of ¹¹C‐CFT uptake. These findings suggest that a mutation in SCA2 or SCA3/MJD may be one of the genetic causes of PD. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society     

An interrupted 34-CAG repeat SCA-2 allele in patients with sporadic spinocerebellar ataxia

In spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA-2), a difference of three CAG repeats distinguishes normal alleles (14 to 31 repeats) from pathogenic alleles (34 to 57 repeats). All sequenced pathogenic alleles have a pure CAG repeat structure, whereas interrupted repeats have been seen exclusively in normal alleles. The authors present two patients with sporadic SCA with an interrupted 34-CAG repeat allele, (CAG)24(CAA)(CAG)9, who showed a phenotype compatible with SCA-2. The interrupted allele coding for a 34 pure polyglutamine tract may cause the SCA phenotype.     

Relative contribution of SCA2, SCA3 and SCA17 in Korean patients with parkinsonism and ataxia

We examined the relative significance of SCA2, SCA3 and SCA17 in Koreans patients with parkinsonism and ataxia. We recruited patients with either parkinsonism (n = 524; PD = 386 and MSA = 138) or ataxia (n = 44) as their main clinical feature for two years. These patients were screened for SCA2, SCA3 and SCA17. Six cases carried SCA2; one, SCA3; and eight, SCA17. In SCA2 patients, one patient exhibited MSA-P phenotype, and the other five exhibited ataxia. The single patient with SCA3 showed ataxia. In SCA17 patients, one patient presented ataxia, the other seven patients showed parkinsonism (three PD and four MSA-P). Dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging was performed in a subset of ataxic or parkinsonian SCA2 or SCA17, all of whom showed decreased DAT binding. In Korean population, the mutation frequencies of SCA2 and SCA17 were similar. SCA2 was a more significant cause of ataxia, whereas SCA17 was a more significant cause of parkinsonism. Contribution of SCA3 to parkinsonism was insignificant.     

ATXN2 with intermediate-length CAG/CAA repeats does not seem to be a risk factor in hereditary spastic paraplegia

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) confines a group of heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive spasticity and lower limb weakness. Age of onset is highly variable even in familial cases with known mutations suggesting that the disease is modulated by other yet unknown parameters. Although progressive gait disturbances, lower limb spasticity and extensor plantar responses are hallmarks of HSP these characteristics are also found in other neurodegenerative disorders, e.g. amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). HSP has been linked to ALS and frontotemporal degeneration with motor neuron disease (FTD-MND), since TDP-43 positive inclusions have recently been found in an HSP subtype, and TDP-43 are found in abundance in pathological inclusions of both ALS and FTD-MND. Furthermore, ataxin-2 (encoded by the gene ATXN2), a polyglutamine containing protein elongated in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, has been shown to be a modulator of TDP-43 induced toxicity in ALS animal and cell models. Finally, it has been shown that ATXN2 with non-pathogenic intermediate-length CAG/CAA repeat elongations (encoding the polyglutamine tract) is a genetic risk factor of ALS. Considering the similarities in the disease phenotype and the neuropathological link between ALS and HSP we hypothesized that intermediate-length CAG/CAA repeats in ATXN2 could be a modulator of HSP. We show that in a cohort of 181 HSP patients 4.9 % of the patients had intermediate-length CAG/CAA repeats in ATXN2 which was not significantly different from the frequencies in a Danish control cohort or in American and European control populations. However, the mean age of onset was significantly lower in HSP patients with intermediate-length CAG/CAA repeats in ATXN2 compared to patients with normal length repeats. Based on these results we conclude that ATXN2 is most likely not a risk factor of HSP, whereas it might serve as a modulator of age of onset.     

Possible reduced penetrance of expansion of 44 to 47 CAG/CAA repeats in the TATA-binding protein gene in spinocerebellar ataxia type 17

BACKGROUND: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) is an autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia caused by expansion of CAG/CAA trinucleotide repeats in the TATA-binding protein (TBP) gene. Because the number of triplets in patients with SCA17 in previous studies ranged from 43 to 63, the normal number of trinucleotide units has been considered to be 42 or less. However, some healthy subjects in SCA17 pedigrees carry alleles with the same number of expanded repeats as patients with SCA17. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the minimum number of CAG/CAA repeats in the TBP gene that causes SCA17. DESIGN: We amplified the region of the TBP gene containing the CAG/CAA repeat by means of polymerase chain reaction and performed fragment and sequence analyses. PATIENTS: The subjects included 734 patients with SCA (480 patients with sporadic SCA and 254 patients with familial SCA) without CAG repeat expansions at the SCA1, SCA2, Machado-Joseph disease, SCA6, SCA7, or dentatorubral-pallidolluysian atrophy loci, with 162 healthy subjects, 216 patients with Parkinson disease, and 195 with Alzheimer disease as control subjects. RESULTS: Eight patients with SCA possessed an allele with more than 43 CAG/CAA repeats. Among the non-SCA groups, alleles with 43 to 45 repeats were seen in 3 healthy subjects and 2 with Parkinson disease. In 1 SCA pedigree, a patient with possible SCA17 and her healthy sister had alleles with 45 repeats. A 34-year-old man carrying alleles with 47 and 44 repeats (47/44) had developed progressive cerebellar ataxia and myoclonus at 25 years of age, and he exhibited dementia and pyramidal signs. He was the only affected person in his pedigree, although his father and mother carried alleles with mildly expanded repeats (44/36 and 47/36, respectively). In another pedigree, 1 patient carried a 43-repeat allele, whereas another patient had 2 normal alleles, indicating that the 43-repeat allele may not be pathologic in this family. CONCLUSIONS: We estimate that 44 CAG/CAA repeats is the minimum number required to cause SCA17. However, the existence of unaffected subjects with mildly expanded triplets suggests that the TBP gene mutation may not penetrate fully. Homozygosity of alleles with mildly expanded triplet repeats in the TBP gene might contribute to the pathologic phenotype.     

Topography of dopamine transporter availability in progressive supranuclear palsy: a voxelwise [123I]beta-CIT SPECT analysis

BACKGROUND: Dopaminergic loss can be visualized by means of iodine I 123-labeled 2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane ([(123)I]beta-CIT) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in several neurodegenerative parkinsonian disorders. Most previous SPECT studies have adopted region-of-interest methods for analysis, which are subjective and operator dependent. OBJECTIVE: To objectively localize the cerebral dopamine transporter status in the early stages of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Parkinson disease outpatient clinic. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients with PSP, 17 with Parkinson disease (PD), 15 with Parkinson-variant multiple-system atrophy (MSA-P), and 13 healthy control subjects, matched for age and disease duration. INTERVENTIONS: Statistical parametric mapping applied to [(123)I]beta-CIT SPECT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Differences in [(123)I]beta-CIT uptake. RESULTS: All patients with the different parkinsonian disorders showed a significant decrease in striatal [(123)I]beta-CIT uptake without any overlap with the control group. In patients with MSA-P and PSP, an additional reduction in brainstem [(123)I]beta-CIT signal compared with controls and patients with PD was identified with statistical parametric mapping. Midbrain [(123)I]beta-CIT uptake discriminated atypical parkinsonian disorders from PD with an overall correct classification of 91.3%. On the other hand, [(123)I]beta-CIT SPECT failed to discriminate PSP and MSA-P. CONCLUSION: By applying statistical parametric mapping to [(123)I]beta-CIT SPECT images of patients with PSP, a widespread decline of monoaminergic transporter availability including the striatum and brainstem was localized in PSP, discriminating patients with PSP from patients with PD, but not from those with MSA-P. Quantification of midbrain dopamine transporter signal may therefore enhance the utility of SPECT imaging in the differential diagnosis of patients with parkinsonism.     

中国南方汉族健康人TATA结合蛋白基因三核苷酸重复变异研究

目的 研究中国大陆脊髓小脑性共济失调（spinocerebellar ataxias,SCA）17型（SCA17）的分布频率,以及南方汉族健康人群TATA结合蛋白（TATA-binding protein,TBP）基因CAG/CAA重复次数正常变异范围.方法 应用荧光聚合酶链反应（PCR）、毛细管电泳等技术,对已经排除了SCA1、2、3、6、7和齿状核-红核-苍白球路易体萎缩的67个常染色体显性遗传SCA家系的先证者、66例散发SCA患者及110名健康人进行TBP基因CAG/CAA重复次数分析.结果 南方汉族健康人群TBP基因CAG/CAA重复次数范围为26～43次,杂合频率为76.36%,共有14种等位基因.在一个散发SCA患者中发现TBP基因CAG/CAA重复次数为44次.结论 SCA17在中国内地为罕见的SCA亚型,南方汉族健康人群TBP基因常见的CAG/CAA重复次数为34和35次.     

Reduced striatal [123 I]FP-CIT binding in SCA2 patients without parkinsonism

Degeneration of substantia nigra has been described in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2). In this study, dopamine transporter (DAT) density with [123 I]FP-CIT SPECT was studied in six SCA2 patients with no parkinsonian signs, six Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, and six controls. Marked striatal DAT loss was found in both SCA2 and PD patients. However, a more severe reduction in the caudate and a higher putamen to caudate ratio distinguished SCA2 from PD patients, suggesting a more uniform nigrostriatal impairment in SCA2. Striatal DAT density of SCA2 patients correlated with the severity of cerebellar ataxia.     

Spinocerebellar Ataxias in Brazil—Frequencies and Modulating Effects of Related Genes

This study describes the frequency of spinocerebellar ataxias and of CAG repeats range in different geographical regions of Brazil, and explores the hypothetical role of normal CAG repeats at ATXN1, ATXN2, ATXN3, CACNA1A, and ATXN7 genes on age at onset and on neurological findings. Patients with symptoms and family history compatible with a SCA were recruited in 11 cities of the country; clinical data and DNA samples were collected. Capillary electrophoresis was performed to detect CAG lengths at SCA1, SCA2, SCA3/MJD, SCA6, SCA7, SCA12, SCA17, and DRPLA associated genes, and a repeat primed PCR was used to detect ATTCT expansions at SCA10 gene. Five hundred forty-four patients (359 families) were included. There were 214 SCA3/MJD families (59.6 %), 28 SCA2 (7.8 %), 20 SCA7 (5.6 %), 15 SCA1 (4.2 %), 12 SCA10 (3.3 %), 5 SCA6 (1.4 %), and 65 families without a molecular diagnosis (18.1 %). Divergent rates of SCA3/MJD, SCA2, and SCA7 were seen in regions with different ethnic backgrounds. 64.7 % of our SCA10 patients presented seizures. Among SCA2 patients, longer ATXN3 CAG alleles were associated with earlier ages at onset (p?<?0.036, linear regression). A portrait of SCAs in Brazil was obtained, where variation in frequencies seemed to parallel ethnic differences. New potential interactions between some SCA-related genes were presented.     

Profile of families with parkinsonism-predominant spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2).

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) has been recognized recently as an uncommon cause of parkinsonism, an alternate presentation to the typical cerebellar disorder. This research review summarizes the existing literature on parkinsonism-predominant presentation SCA2 and presents new clinical cases of patients with this condition. Various phenotypes are noted in this subtype of SCA2, including parkinsonism indistinguishable from idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD), parkinsonism plus ataxia, motor neuron disease, and postural tremor. In several kindreds with multiple affected family members, the SCA2 expansion segregated with disease; in addition, several single cases of parkinsonism with and without a family history are also described. The number of repeats in symptomatic patients ranged from 33 to 43. Interruption of the CAG repeat with CAA, CGG, or CCG was found in some individuals, possibly stabilizing the repeat structure and accounting for the relative stability of the repeat size across generations in some families; allele length is not necessarily indicative of trinucleotide repeat architecture. Positron emission tomography scanning in one family showed reduced fluorodopa uptake and normal to increased raclopride binding with a rostrocaudal gradient similar to that found in idiopathic PD. This review emphasizes the importance of testing for SCA2 in patients with parkinsonism and a family history of neurodegenerative disorders. Testing for SCA2 is also important in studies of inherited parkinsonism.     

克隆测序方法检测三核苷酸重复次数的可靠性

目的 探讨克隆测序技术用于检测三核苷酸(CAG)重复次数的可靠性.方法 对1例临床确诊的遗传性脊髓小脑性共济失调1型(SCA1)患者,PCR法扩增ATXN1基因的CAG重复次数,8%变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(DPAGE)分离PCR产物以协助确诊.2.5%琼脂糖凝胶电泳分离PCR产物的大小片段,割胶回收大小片段测序.另外将割胶回收的大片段进行TA克隆测序.结果 DPAGE提示大片段存在CAG的异常扩增,故该患者可确诊为SCA1.PCR产物大小片段直接测序结果为:小片段为26次CAG重复,大片段为47次重复.而将大片段克隆测序后,则有50、47、46、41、32、28、27、26、25及24次共10种不同的CAG重复次数,而且出现了CCG、CGG、CTG、CAA、TAT等序列变异现象.结论 克隆测序检测CAG重复次数会造成重复次数变异,且存在各种碱基变异.因此不宜单用TA克隆测序检测CAG重复次数及筛查碱基变异,需联合应用多种方法以提高结果的可靠性.     

Neurological phenotypes in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2: Role of mitochondrial polymorphism A10398G and other risk factors

BackgroundSpinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is due to a CAG expansion (CAGexp) at ATXN2. SCA2 presents great clinical variability, alongside characteristic ataxia with saccadic slowness.AimsTo study parkinsonism, dementia, dystonia, and amyotrophy as subphenotypes of SCA2, and to explore the effect of CAG repeats at different loci and of mitochondrial polymorphism A10398G as modifiers of phenotype.MethodsSymptomatic subjects were classified by presence/absence of neurological signs mentioned above; SARA and NESSCA scores were obtained. CAG repeats at ATXN1, ATXN2, ATXN3, CACNA1A, ATXN7 and RAI1, and polymorphism A10398G at mtDNA were established. Group characteristics were compared, with a p < 0.05.ResultsForty-eight SCA2 individuals were included. Age at onset, CAGexp, and disease duration explained 53% and 43% of SARA and NESSCA variations, respectively. CAGexp of subjects with and without parkinsonism were different (medians of 42 and 39 repeats) as well as of subjects with and without dystonia (44 and 40 repeats). Amyotrophy was not significantly related to any variable under study. Concerning polymorphism A10398G, 83% of subjects with and 34% of those without cognitive decline carried 10398G at (p = 0.003).DiscussionTreating the four phenotypic subgroups as outcomes was a valid strategy to identify modifiers of disease. Among correlations found, some confirmed previous reports, such as that between dystonia and CAGexp. Of note was the association between cognitive decline and the variant G at mitochondrial polymorphism A10398G, a variant formerly related to earlier ages at onset in SCA2.     

Intrafamilial variability of Parkinson phenotype in SCAs: novel cases due to SCA2 and SCA3 expansions

BackgroundParkinson's disease (PD) has been related to mutations associated with spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA); the frequency of the diagnosis of these mutations is low in general late-onset PD cases. Our aim was to investigate a selected high-risk group of PD patients.MethodsPD patients with autosomal dominant inheritance or atypical neurological manifestations were enrolled, underwent a full neurological examination and had the CAG tracts of their SCA1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 genes analyzed.ResultsOf the 23 studied families, two SCA3 and one SCA2 cases were identified. All had autosomal dominant inheritance. In the SCA2 pedigree, four affected sibs had a homogeneous PD phenotype. CAG repeats varied between 35 and 44 with CAA interruptions. Intrafamilial phenotypic heterogeneity was identified in the SCA3 pedigrees; parkinsonian and ataxic phenotypes coexisted in both kindreds. CAGn varied between 69 and 71 repeats. Age of onset was lower in the SCA3 patients than in the remaining 24 cases (38 versus 46.7 ± 12 years of age, p = 0.003).ConclusionsSCA2 and SCA3 mutations were detected in 13% of the present sample: the strategy of selecting a high-risk group increased the rate of making these diagnoses. The SCA2 cases confirmed an association between PD and interrupted expansions, as well as PD intrafamilial phenotypic homogeneity. Clinical heterogeneity of SCA3 pedigrees suggests that disease-modifying agents outside the MJD1 gene may play a role in determining PD symptoms in this disorder.     

Differentiating multiple system atrophy from Parkinson's disease: contribution of striatal and midbrain MRI volumetry and multi-tracer PET imaging

OBJECTIVES: The differential diagnosis between typical idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and the striatonigral variant of multiple system atrophy (MSA-P) is often difficult because of the presence of signs and symptoms common to both forms of parkinsonism, particularly at symptom onset. This study investigated striatal and midbrain findings in MSA-P and PD patients in comparison with normal controls with the use of positron emission tomography (PET) and three dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D MRI) based volumetry to increase the differential diagnostic accuracy between both disease entities. METHODS: Nine patients with MSA-P, 24 patients with PD, and seven healthy controls were studied by MRI and PET with 6-[(18)F]-fluoro-L-dopa (FDOPA), [(18)F]fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG), and 11-C-Raclopride (RACLO). Striatal and extrastriatal volumes of interest (VOI) were calculated on the basis of the individual MRI data. The PET data were transferred to the VOI datasets and subsequently analysed. RESULTS: MSA-P differed significantly from PD patients in terms of decreased putaminal volume, glucose metabolism, and postsynaptic D2 receptor density. The striatal FDOPA uptake was equally impaired in both conditions. Neither MRI volumetry nor PET imaging of the midbrain region further contributed to the differential diagnosis between PD and MSA-P. CONCLUSIONS: The extent and spatial distribution of functional and morphological changes in the striatum permit the differentiation of MSA-P from PD. Both, multi-tracer PET and 3D MRI based volumetry, may be considered equivalent in the assessment of different striatal abnormality in both disease entities. In contrast, MRI and PET imaging of the midbrain does not provide a further gain in diagnostic accuracy.     

~(11)C-CFT PET显像评价帕金森病与多系统萎缩P型患者脑内多巴胺转运体分布特点的研究

目的基于~(11)C-CFT正电子发射计算机断层(PET)显像评价帕金森病(PD)与多系统萎缩P型(MSA-P)患者脑内多巴胺转运体(DAT)分布特点,评估~(11)C-CFT PET显像在PD与MSA-P鉴别诊断中的价值。方法回顾性分析年龄、性别和疾病严重程度匹配的32例MSA-P患者(MSA-P组)和56例PD患者(PD组)的临床资料以及~(11)C-CFT PET影像资料;另选择年龄匹配的健康对照者20例为对照组。应用感兴趣区技术获得3组研究对象的尾状核、前壳核和后壳核的DAT分布半定量值,对各感兴趣区的DAT分布半定量值、相互比值和不对称性进行对比研究。建立受试者工作特征曲线(ROL),利用曲线下面积评估基于~(11)C-CFT PET显像所得相关参数对PD和MSA-P的鉴别能力。结果与PD组比较,MSA-P组患者病程更短、进展速度更快(P0.000 1)。与对照组比较,PD组和MSA-P组尾状核、前壳核和后壳核的DAT分布半定量值均显著减低(P0.000 1),且后壳核降低最为显著。PD组和MSA-P组尾状核、前壳核和后壳核的DAT分布半定量值及其不对称指数比较均差异无显著性。PD组和MSA-P组纹状体各感兴趣区DAT分布半定量值中,前壳核/尾状核比值(AP/C)、后壳核/前壳核比值(PP/AP)均差异无显著性;但MSA-P组后壳核/尾状核比值(PP/C)PD组(P0.05),两组PP/C比值的ROL曲线下面积为0.696(P=0.002);以0.611作为PP/C比值的临界值,其对MSA-P和PD鉴别诊断的灵敏度和特异度分别为71.9%和62.5%。结论 ~(11)C-CFT PET显像可以精准显示MSA-P及PD患者脑内多巴胺能神经元的突触前功能损害,但尚不能有效鉴别两种疾病。     

Mutation Analysis of the TATA box-binding protein (TBP) gene in Chinese Han patients with spinocerebellar ataxia

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) is a rare autosomal dominant progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the CAG/CAA expansion in the TATA box-binding protein (TBP) gene. This study aimed to assess the frequency of SCA17 in patients from mainland China. Analysis of CAG/CAA expansion in this gene was performed in 263 patients consisting of 100 probands with dominantly inherited ataxias and 163 patients with sporadic ataxias. Abnormal expansion of CAG/CAA repeats in the SCA17 locus was found in a proband and her younger sister. To our knowledge, we are providing the first kindred analysis of SCA17 in mainland China.     

SCA2 in the Indian population: Unified haplotype and variable phenotypic patterns in a large case series

BackgroundSpinocerebellar ataxia-2 is one of the most prevalent SCA type across the world and one of the commonest in India. We aimed to characterize SCA2 patients both clinically and genetically (ATXN2-CAG repeats and its haplotypic background).MethodsA total of 436 SCA2 patients were recruited consecutively comprising individuals of multiple ethnicities and two large multigenerational families. A detailed clinical evaluation and genetic analysis for CAG repeat length estimation and two marker based haplotype analysis [rs695871 and rs695872 located 177 bp and 106 bp upstream of CAG sequence in Exon 1 of ATXN2] was performed.ResultsGeneralized limb ataxia and slow saccades were prevalent features in majority of our patients, while hyporeflexia and extrapyramidal features were less commonly observed manifestations. Slow ocular saccades, upper limb ataxia and tremor showed significant associations with age of onset, CAG repeat length and disease duration. We observed a 100% association of C-C haplotype with the expanded ATXN2 repeats.ConclusionThis study represents the largest study of SCA2 Indian patients that highlights the clinico-genetic manifestations and haplotype analysis. A significant proportion of patients have not shown the characteristic slow saccades and hyporeflexia thus indicating the influences of other factors in modulation of the disease which warrants further investigations. The observation of CC haplotype in all our SCA2 patients indicates a common origin across all Indian sub populations and that also indicate a common global founder event in the past.     

Genetic fitness and selection intensity in a population affected with high-incidence spinocerebellar ataxia type 1

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is the major and likely the only type of autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia in the Sakha (Yakut) people of Eastern Siberia. The prevalence rate of SCA1 has doubled over the past 21 years peaking at 46 cases per 100,000 rural population. The age at death correlates closely with the number of CAG triplet repeats in the mutant ATXN1 gene (r = ?0.81); most patients with low-medium (39–55) repeat numbers survived until the end of reproductive age. The number of CAG repeats expands in meiosis, particularly in paternal transmissions; the average total increase in intergenerational transmissions in our cohort was estimated at 1.6 CAG repeats. The fertility rates of heterozygous carriers of 39–55 CAG repeats in women were no different from those of the general Sakha population. Overall, the survival of mutation carriers through reproductive age, unaltered fertility rates, low childhood mortality in SCA1-affected families, and intergenerational transmission of increasing numbers of CAG repeats in the ATXN1 gene indicate that SCA1 in the Sakha population will be maintained at high prevalence levels. The low (0.19) Crow’s index of total selection intensity in our SCA1 cohort implies that this mutation is unlikely to be eliminated through natural selection alone.     

SCA-2 presenting as parkinsonism in an Alberta family: clinical,genetic, and PET findings

The authors describe an Alberta family with levodopa-responsive parkinsonism without cerebellar abnormalities. Genetic testing showed expanded repeats for SCA-2; other mutations for parkinsonism were excluded. The expanded allele shows interruption of the CAG repeat with CAA. PET in two affected members showed reduced fluorodopa uptake in striatum and normal raclopride binding. Families with autosomal dominant, levodopa-responsive parkinsonism should be tested for the SCA-2 mutation.     

(123)I]beta-CIT SPECT imaging demonstrates reduced density of striatal dopamine transporters in Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

In vivo imaging of the dopamine transporter (DAT) with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a quantitative biomarker for Parkinson's disease (PD) onset and severity. This study has examined and compared the loss of striatal DAT in PD and multiple system atrophy (MSA) using [(123)I]beta-CIT SPECT imaging. One hundred and eighty-three patients (157 PD and 26 MSA) were studied. Clinical rating scales (Hoehn and Yahr stage and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS] scores) demonstrated that the MSA patients were more severely impaired than the PD patients. The striatal [(123)I]beta-CIT SPECT uptake was markedly reduced in both the PD and MSA groups. In addition, MSA patients showed more symmetric DAT loss compared with the PD patients, consistent with the more symmetric clinical motor dysfunction observed in MSA. While the loss of DAT was significantly reduced in all regions in both MSA and PD, comparison of the relative loss of the DAT did not significantly improve diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing between PD and MSA.