Illuminating multiple system atrophy

March is designated multiple system atrophy (MSA) awareness month, which we have taken as an opportunity to delve into advances in treatment for this rare disorder.

What is MSA?

MSA is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that presents with autonomic failure, parkinsonism, and cerebellar ataxia.1 This condition is classified as a sporadic adult-onset illness often attributed to the accumulation of insoluble alpha-synuclein protein in the nervous system. In clinical terms, it is classified as MSA-cerebellar (MSA-C) and MSA-parkinsonian (MSA-P), depending on the predominant motor phenotype.2 Although most patients exhibit a combination of clinical and pathological symptoms, MSA-P is associated with striatonigral degeneration and MSA-C with olivopontocerebellar atrophy.