• Submitted by: admin
• Holguín
• Health and Medicine
• 12 / 01 / 2006

By Karina Marrón

At the Center for the Research and Therapy of Congenital Ataxia in Holguin province, new studies are being developed to provide patients and relatives with a better quality of life.

Doctors and specialists of this institution, unique in Latin America, are studying structural sleep patterns of the sick people and at-risk descendants, searching for degenerative alterations that can be modified with treatment.

The results of these investigations will permit the realization of clinical tests next year. As well, the scientists working there are involved in other projects that are seeking to quantify the effect of the environment and of gene modifiers, on the gene that produces SCA2 Ataxia.

Holguin province has the largest number of sick people and people at risk in the world, 500 of the 800 cases detected in the country; thereof many national and international research centers are showing interest in collaborating in the use of new therapies.

Ataxia affects poise, balance, speech and movement coordination; it is one of the severest diseases of the nervous system.

Source: Ahora.cu