News

Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) may help lower the risk of children’s bone fractures among young patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a study by U.S. researchers suggests. “Drug therapy led to a decrease in fracture occurrence,”…

SMA Europe is funding five new research projects that are intended to advance understanding of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and guide the development of new therapies. The funding comes as part of SMA Europe’s…

The parts of cells that produce energy, called mitochondria, in the skeletal muscles involved in voluntary movements don’t work properly in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and may contribute to the disease’s symptoms, a study in mice and…

Physical therapy looks different for every patient with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) because treatment changes throughout their life as the disease progresses and different medications become available. With Michael, a patient I work with who has SMA, we’ve had many changes in our goals and approaches throughout the…

Spinraza (nusinersen) treatment may help restore balance to the levels of some lipids, fat-like molecules that are lower in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) than in healthy children, a…

Newborn screening (NBS) programs for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) were available in 33 countries as of the beginning of 2024, including the U.S. and most countries in the European Union. That’s according to a survey that gathered…

The mother of a baby with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was given Evrysdi (risdiplam) for the last few weeks of her pregnancy, and the baby was started on the SMA treatment shortly after birth. The…

Profound deficits in mechanisms essential for swallowing are common among untreated infants with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, according to a natural history study. While nearly all the babies could initiate the swallowing process, problems in…

While effective treatment is lengthening life and improving its quality, children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1 often have abnormal spinal curvatures like scoliosis that require long-term care, a study highlights. “Novel therapies have…