A Dutch consortium involved in predicting, delaying and curing rare movement disorders will receive a grant of 5 million euros. Within the CureQ project, the money will be used to conduct research into the hereditary brain disorders Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) type 1 and type 3 and Huntington’s disease. This is reported by Radboudumc, which will collaborate in the project together with Dutch universities, higher vocational education, ethicists, biotechnology companies, patient associations and the Proefdiervrij foundation.
The diseases SCA type 1 and type 3 and Huntington’s disease are caused by too many repeats of the same piece of DNA. This leads to an accumulation of harmful proteins that cause the diseases. The diseases can start at a relatively young age and often quickly lead to significant disabilities.
Experimental treatments
There are as yet no treatments that can stop the disease or slow its decline. However, promising studies have recently started with experimental genetic treatments to inhibit the production of the proteins that cause the disease. Before these treatments can be applied safely and in a targeted manner, a number of important questions must be answered. At the moment, for example, it is not clear what the optimal time is to start a treatment and who can benefit from the therapies. To do this, researchers first need to find ways to better predict the onset and course of these diseases. Moreover, the treatments, via spinal taps or administration via the brain, are still quite invasive. Neurologist Bart van de Warrenburg therefore wants to look for alternative strategies.
The total budget for the research is 5.5 million euros, 4.7 million of which is subsidized by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.
By: National Care Guide