Big news for SCA3. Citalopram.: If you have a... - Ataxia UK

Ataxia UK

4,032 members4,571 posts

Big news for SCA3. Citalopram.

sunvox profile image
3 Replies

If you have a diagnosis of SCA3 but are not symptomatic then I suggest buying and printing out these research reports and taking them to your doctor. Keep in mind this is only in animal research and very often what works in animals turns out to be less efficacious in humans. The flip side to that is the fact that this drug is cheap and already heavily prescribed for anxiety so human safety is well established.

-

-

Citalopram Reduces Aggregation of ATXN3 in a YAC Transgenic Mouse Model of Machado-Joseph Disease.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/301...

-

-

Preclinical Evidence Supporting Early Initiation of Citalopram Treatment in Machado-Joseph Disease.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/301...

Written by
sunvox profile image
sunvox
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
3 Replies
Stanleyclan profile image
Stanleyclan

Is this only likely to be helpful for sca3 or could it prove to be more widely beneficial do you think?

sunvox profile image
sunvox in reply to Stanleyclan

I have an email in to one of the lead researchers who is active in the US with the National Ataxia Foundation with that exact question. I did read a few lines in the second study that talked about the clearance of other proteins. If this were a molecule that was specifically engineered to treat SCA3 I would think the answer would be no, but in this case we have yet another "generic" molecule so I would find it more than likely that it could be helpful to all polyQ disorders.

-

It is fascinating to me that just one year ago when I contacted the leading researchers in the National Ataxia Foundation about trehalose and clearing proteins instead of genetic repair, I got the proverbial cold shoulder, and suddenly Dr. Orr, Zoghbi, and Hansen are all studying different methods of protein clearing.

Stanleyclan profile image
Stanleyclan in reply to sunvox

That was the line that caught my eye! Well at least they are starting to catch up😁

You may also like...

A new light shines on SCA3. Far infrared light therapy?

intriguing work: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26793049...

Riluzole or Citalopram

seems a little expensive. Or Citalopram, this medicine has passed animal experiment (ready to be...

Join a remote Study for SCA1. SCA2. SCA3. or SCA6

SCA2, SCA3, or SCA6 and are interested in participating, you can find more information here:...

Cerebellar Ataxia SCA3 (Machado-joseph)

Visit to the Neurologist

project. I have been diagnosed with SCA3 Machado-Joseph disease, this proves that a positive...