EMINA

Neuroacanthocytosis (NA) syndromes are a group of rare disabling movement disorders displaying neurodegeneration and misshaped, spiky red blood cells (acanthocytes). EMINA is designed to mobilize and enable clinicians as well as basic scientists • to study the clinical aspects of NA syndromes and the effect of innovative treatment options • to discover the enigmatic connection between malformed red blood cells and neurodegeneration. The main goals of EMINA are to: • generate a common taxonomy of these heterogeneous diseases, • establish consensus guidelines for diagnosis and treatment and • reveal major pathophysiological mechanisms leading to disease and affecting both, erythrocytes and neurons. Because EMINA partners are already major contributors at the leading edge of NA research, the combination of their proven excellence in the fields of neurodegeneration, cell biology and animal models strengthens the prospects of important advances in this understudied field.