Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive disorder with a complex clinical and neuropathological phenotype, but the most frequent cause of death is cardiomyopathy. The principal autopsy findings in FRDA hearts are concentric hypertrophy, enlargement of cardiomyocytes, myofiber necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, scarring, and random accumulation of iron. In addition, the myocardium shows generalized disorganization of intercalated discs (ICD), the Velcro-like end-to-end connections of heart fibers that provide mechanical cohesion and ionic coupling. The principal components of ICD are fascia adherens junctions (FAJ), desmosomes, and gap junctions. Frataxin deficiency in FRDA may cause improper assembly of ICD early in life, making hearts vulnerable to mechanical stress in childhood and adolescence.
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