What causes MSA?
The cause or causes of MSA are unknown, but the symptoms reflect the dysfunction and eventual loss of nervous system cells in several different areas in the brain and spinal cord that control the autonomic nervous system and coordinate muscle movements. The hallmark of MSA is the buildup of a protein called alpha-synuclein in oligodendrocytes, a type of glial (support) cell. MSA, along with Parkinson’s disease, are called synucleinopathies because they share a similar buildup of alpha-synuclein and cause loss of the dopamine-producing cells that control motor movements.
