Antioxidants and other pharmacological treatments for Friedreich ataxia (Review)

Friedreich ataxia is a rare inherited autosomal recessive neurological disorder, characterised initially by unsteadiness in standing and walking, slowly progressing to wheelchair dependency usually in the late teens or early twenties. It is associated with slurred speech, scoliosis and pes cavus. Heart abnormalities cause premature death in 60 to 80 of people with the disorder. There is no easily defined clinical or biochemical marker and no known treatment. This is the first update of a review published in 2009.