Is spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 inherited ?
This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.  In most cases, an affected person has one parent with the condition.  As the altered CACNA1A gene is passed down from one generation to the next, the length of the CAG trinucleotide repeat often slightly increases. A larger number of repeats is usually associated with an earlier onset of signs and symptoms. This phenomenon is called anticipation.