The parkinsonian phenotype of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 in a Taiwanese family

We report a parkinsonian phenotype of spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) in three female sibs from one Taiwanese family, found in a genetic analysis of 60 patients from 49 families with familial parkinsonism. Initially, all three patients presented with early onset resting tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and good response to levodopa. In the later stages, peripheral neuropathy developed in one sib and mild ataxia in another one. Decreased concentration of dopamine transporter in the striatum was demonstrated by ^99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT imaging in the two sibs studied. Therefore, SCA3 should be considered as an important etiology of familial parkinsonism.