MAPK8 and proximal spinal muscular atrophy: We report that pharmacological inhibition of JNK using novel drug compounds based on three distinct chemical scaffolds, Anthrapyrazolone, Pyrimidinyl, and Pyridopyrimidine, prevents degeneration of SMN-deficient <i>in vitro</i> cultured primary cerebellum neurons and the spinal cord motor neurons derived from SMA mice.