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Friedreich Ataxia
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Genetics Birth Defects

Friedreich Ataxia

Friedreich ataxia is an inherited nervous system disorder that damages the spinal cord and nerves, leading to progressive difficulty with movement and coordination.

Overview

Friedreich ataxia is an inherited disease that damages your nervous system. The damage affects your spinal cord and the nerves that control muscle movement in your arms and legs. Symptoms usually begin between the ages of 5 and 15.

Symptoms

The main symptom is ataxia, which means trouble coordinating movements. Specific symptoms include:

  • Difficulty walking
  • Muscle weakness
  • Speech problems
  • Involuntary eye movements
  • Scoliosis (curving of the spine to one side)
  • Heart palpitations, from the heart disease which can happen along with Friedreich ataxia

Prognosis & Treatment

People with Friedreich ataxia usually need a wheelchair 15 to 20 years after symptoms first appear. In severe cases, people become incapacitated. There is no cure. You can treat symptoms with medicines, braces, surgery, and physical therapy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Life expectancy varies significantly among individuals. While the disease is progressive, many people with Friedreich ataxia live into their 40s, 50s, or beyond. The primary risk to longevity often comes from associated heart disease (cardiomyopathy) rather than the neurological symptoms themselves. Regular cardiac care and management of heart function are critical for improving long-term survival.
Friedreich ataxia is caused by a lack of a protein called frataxin, which is essential for mitochondria (the energy centers of cells) to function properly. The heart muscle requires a massive amount of energy to pump blood continuously, so it is particularly vulnerable to this energy deficit. This often leads to cardiomyopathy, where the heart muscle becomes enlarged and weak, requiring regular cardiac monitoring.
Friedreich ataxia is not contagious; you cannot catch it from another person. It is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, meaning a person must inherit two copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent, to develop the disease. If you have the disease, your children will be carriers, but they will not have the disease unless their other parent is also a carrier.
Early signs of progression often include increased stumbling or tripping on flat surfaces, difficulty with fine motor tasks like buttoning shirts or writing, and slurred speech that becomes more noticeable when tired. You may also notice that simple tasks, such as walking up stairs or standing in line, take significantly more effort and time than they did previously.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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