Biomarker Research in Inherited Movement Disorders

Inherited movement disorders are rare conditions, whose cumulative prevalence are in the order of 5-10/100,000 inhabitants, in most cases progressive and can lead to a significant loss of autonomy after one or more decades of evolution. They include spinocerebellar ataxias and hyperkinetic disorders (dystonias, choreas, tremor, parkinsonism and myoclonus with variable combination of those, or more complex alteration of movements). The existence of the National Reference Centre (CMR) for Rare Diseases (CMR Neurogenetics, devoted to ataxias and spastic paraparesis, dystonia and rare movement disorders and CMR Huntington, devoted to Huntington Disease) has allowed a more integrated vision of these diseases. This is illustrated, in the same family, by the occurrence of different clinical expressions of spinocerebellar ataxias and hyperkinetic disorders that share the same genetic background. Conversely, different causal mutations within the same gene may have very different ages at onset and a wide range of clinical expression, and the spectrum of new phenotypes linked to a single gene is still expanding . Many ataxia and dystonia genes are involved in similar pathways. There are numerous arguments supporting a share pathogenesis including synaptic transmission and neurodevelopment .

BIOMOV project aims to :

1. establish the clinical spectrum and natural history of these diseases, 2. understand the role of genetic and familial factors on the phenotype, 3. elucidate the molecular basis of these disorders and evaluate diagnostic strategies involving molecular tools for clinical and genetic management, 4. develop multimodal biomarkers both for physiopathological studies and for accurate measures of disease progression, 5. develop trial ready cohorts of well characterized genetic patients, 6. test new therapies either symptomatic or based on pathophysiological mechanisms.