Kazakhstan at MDS 2025: New scientific discoveries

MDS 2025 – International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders
Honolulu, Hawaii | October 5–9, 2025 The MDS 2025 Congress brought together leading neurologists, researchers, clinicians, and patient communities from around the globe to showcase cutting-edge research, foster deep scientific discussions, and facilitate global collaborations in the field of movement disorders. With over 1,800 scientific presentations, the program included symposia, sessions, master classes, and video case studies. One of the most anticipated announcements was the release of new data on cell-based therapies that demonstrated promising motor improvements and a favorable safety profile in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Other highlights included:

·A novel drug aimed at reducing iron accumulation in affected brain regions as a potential disease-modifying therapy for Multiple System Atrophy (MSA).

·Research on the impact of social isolation and loneliness, identified as significant accelerators of motor decline in individuals with parkinsonism.

· Long-term efficacy data on two pharmacological agents showing potential in slowing the progression of Friedreich’s Ataxia.

Kazakhstan’s contribution to the global scientific dialogue was prominently featured through the active participation of the Department of Neurology at South Kazakhstan Medical Academy (SKMA). The delegation was led by Professor N. A. Zharkynbekova, Head of the Department, and Associate Professor Rauan Kaiyrzhanov, who also serves as the lead investigator of a collaborative international research initiative. The SKMA team presented groundbreaking results from a global study on the role of the Alkaline Ceramidase 3 (ACER3) gene in early neurodegeneration and leukodystrophy. Their findings revealed that pathogenic variants in ACER3 cause neurodegeneration with leukodystrophy in infants and young children, with new clinical data reported on 53 patients from 50 families worldwide.  The study demonstrated that mutations in ACER3 disrupt sphingolipid metabolism, which plays a vital role in the structure of cell membranes and intracellular signaling. This disruption leads to early white matter damage and progressive neurodegeneration manifesting in the first years of life. These insights are crucial for the diagnosis of rare hereditary leukodystrophies and open new perspectives for the development of targeted pathogenetic therapies. The project is the result of international collaboration involving scientists from Europe, Asia, and North America, with Kazakhstan’s research team playing a key role. “This is a step forward in understanding the molecular mechanisms of rare pediatric neurodegenerative disorders. The Kazakh team is proud of its contribution to global science,” concluded Rauan Kaiyrzhanov, representing the ACER3 research group.