Repeat expansions, such as those in HTT (CAG repeats in Huntington’s disease), ATXN1 and ATXN2 (CAG repeats in spinocerebellar ataxias), and FXN (GAA repeats in Friedreich’s ataxia), are well-established causes of neurodegenerative disorders19,20. Here, ATXN2 is linked to cerebellar ataxia.