News

Adults With SMA Type 2 Have Lower IQ Scores in Specific Areas

Adults with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 2 have lower intelligence quotient (IQ) scores on assessments for working memory and perceptual reasoning compared with the general population, according to data from a new study. The study, “Cognitive Impairment in Adult Patients with 5q-Associated Spinal Muscular Atrophy,” was published in…

Potential ASO Therapy Treats SMA in Mice With Evident Symptoms

A new and noninvasive type of antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy effectively treated spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in a mouse model with established symptoms, a study reported. Since symptomatic and late-onset SMA patients are the most difficult to treat, “our [therapy] should be considered a great improvement from a clinical…

Wheelchair Hockey Linked to Physical, Psychological Gains in Men

Playing wheelchair hockey is associated with better psychological well-being, self-perception of physical abilities, and quality of life in men with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a small study in Italy shows. These findings add to some previous studies reporting the health benefits of adaptive sports…

Spinraza May Restore Development of Motor Neurons in SMA Children

Spinraza (nusinersen) may restore the normal development of motor neurons — the nerve cells responsible for making muscle cells work — in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), particularly those who start treatment early, a study found. Besides getting motor neurons back onto their developmental trajectory, Spinraza also may slow their…