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Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) is a rare brain disorder that until recently was largely ignored by the research community. MSA is a rapidly progressing neurodegenerative disease caused by a decline of the body’s most basic and vital functions including breathing, digestion, urination, controlling blood pressure and movement. It is not known how MSA arises, and no environmental or genetic contributors have been identified. Several mechanisms are believed to contribute to the disease process.

Content on Defeat MSA Alliance associated charity websites and social media pages are contributed by volunteers and other users and thus, cannot be regarded as medical advice. The contents on associated pages and social media (such as text, graphics, images, information obtained from third parties, etc), and other material contained on its websites (hereinafter “Content”) are for informational purposes only.

Defeat MSA Alliance (USA), Defeat MSA/Vaincre AMS Canada and affiliated organizations are members of “MSA United International,” a global consortium dedicated to the defeat of Multiple System Atrophy.

Today, the Board of Directors of Defeat MSA Alliance (USA) and Defeat MSA/Vaincre AMS Canada, two of the five partnering members of the MSA United Consortium, have approved several grants to fund promising new research. The Consortium, which also includes two other charities, La Asociación Española Síndrome Shy Drager – Atrofia Multisistémica (Spain) and Combattiamo l’Atrofia Multisistemica (Italy), issued a global Request for Proposals (RFP) in July of 2021, inviting grant applications for new and novel studies in pathogenesis, biomarkers, and pre-clinical and clinical research areas. The funding of these seed grants was based on recommendations of the Consortium’s international Research Advisory Board.