Reconstructing the History of Machado-Joseph Disease

Abstract

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, was originally described in members of the families of Machado, Thomas, and Joseph from São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal, in 1972. The purpose of this article is to present previous descriptions of hereditary ataxia resembling the heterogeneous phenotypic intra-familiar presentation of MJD. We suggest that the condition would best be called dominant spino-pontine atrophy.

Keywords: Dominant spino-pontine atrophy; History of neurology; Machado-Joseph disease; Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.