Lipid Dyshomeostasis and Inherited Cerebellar Ataxia

Abstract

Cerebellar ataxia is a neurological disorder originating in the cerebellum and can be divided into different subtypes. The etiology of these disorders is complicated, especially in inherited disorders. Currently, nearly all disorders remain incurable. To precisely diagnose and treat these diseases, studies on their molecular mechanisms have been conducted extensively in the past. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that some common pathogenic mechanisms exist within each subtype of inherited ataxia. However, no reports have indicated whether there is a common mechanism among the different subtypes of cerebellar ataxia. In this review, we summarize the available references and databases on neurological disorders characterized by cerebellar ataxia and show that a subset of genes involved in lipid homeostasis form a new group that may cause ataxic disorders through a common mechanism. This common signaling pathway can provide a valuable reference for future diagnosis and treatment of ataxic disorders.