ATXN3 and Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3: Blood samples were obtained from the family, and mutations in the gene causing spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3)/Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), known as MJD1, were analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction, 8% denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and T-vector ligation and sequencing.