The Spastic Paraplegia Foundation is the only organization in the USA that raises money for PLS research. We have sponsored many research grants for PLS researchers over the years. (See grants on our Research page.) The major contribution for PLS research sponsored by SPF was that of Dr. Hiroshi Mitsumoto of Columbia University that provided:
- Natural History Study: Which investigated the progression and characteristics of PLS to better understand the disease.
- Biomarker Development: Which identified biomarkers that can aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of PLS patients by using the PLSFRS he developed. (The image shown on the right is downloadable.)
- Potential Treatments: Exploring new medications that may be effective in treating PLS, which are currently in preclinical stages.
We also sponsored a 5-year extension of the Natural History Study to continue to follow progression those patients originally enrolled in the initial program. That grant was given to Dr. Ikjae Lee at Columbia University. See the published papers and other articles/studies.
The PLSFRS
