Platelets from both healthy control individuals and SCA individuals were found to induce the expression of major endothelial adhesion molecules, ICAM-1 and E selectin, on the surface of HUVEC; notably the ability of SCA platelets to induce this expression was more significant and, depending on the SCA individual, levels of expression of these molecules reached levels induced by TNF-α induction. Here, TNF is linked to autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia.