Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 is associated with Parkinsonism and Lewy body pathology.

ABSTRACT: Clinical phenotype of individuals with spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2) is characterised by cerebellar ataxia and cognitive impairment. Although L-dopa-responsive Parkinsonism is considered as a rare clinical presentation in SCA2, it has been brought to the attention of many neurologists in several studies. The authors report an autopsy case of SCA2 with Parkinsonism from a Japanese family using archival materials of our Brain Bank to describe unique neuropathologic findings. The individual clinically showed Parkinsonism as a predominant phenotype instead of cerebellar ataxia. Besides the classic SCA2 neuropathologic alterations, Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites were present in the brainstem nuclei. Genetic analysis revealed shorter abnormal expansion of CAG repeats (less than 39). In contrast

SUBMITTER: Takao M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3079476 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature