Director's Message

Welcome to the website of the Denning Ataxia Center.

The central feature of all ataxias, no matter their cause, is incoordination. The word “ataxia” comes from the Greek (a-taxis), meaning “without order,” which is an apt description. Individuals who develop ataxia initially feel their movements just aren’t as smoothly organized as they should be. But in more severe cases, ataxia can completely rob a person as they can no longer walk, are clumsy with their hands and have problems with their speech and vision. Ataxic disorders can thus be extremely incapacitating.  

Some cases of ataxia are acquired (e.g., from an infection or stroke), but many are caused by inherited genetic mutations that affect the cerebellum, the part of the brain that resides near the base of the skull.  The cerebellum integrates input from many other brain regions, so anything that interferes with its function will also affect other parts of the brain. This is why ataxias are not just disorders of movement but can also affect cognition and mood.

As a physician-scientist, I have devoted my career to treating ataxia patients and studying the molecular basis of inherited ataxias. The skill, dedication, and persistence of our multi-disciplinary ataxia clinic team have enabled us to be designated as a Center of Excellence by the National Ataxia Foundation, an honor shared by only a few clinics.

Now, thanks to a generous donation from philanthropist Steve Denning, researchers from the fields of genetics, electrophysiology, cellular and molecular biology, immunology, engineering, and computational biology will be brought together under the aegis of The Denning Ataxia Center to understand cerebellar disorders from a more holistic perspective.  Our research and clinical care will be interwoven through dedicated efforts to translate our basic science discoveries into better treatments, conducted in collaboration with other ataxia specialists at other institutions. We are committed to improving the lives of individuals with ataxia and to making therapies available to patients around the world.  

We invite you to learn more about our initiatives through our website. Read about some of the therapies we’re working to develop, reach out to us if you have questions, consider supporting our work, and above all, be well. 

Sincerely, 
Puneet Opal, MD, PhD
Director, Denning Ataxia Center