ABSTRACT
Machado-Joseph disease, also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, is the most common form of autosomal dominant ataxia in the world. Paula Coutinho, a highly-regarded Portuguese neurologist worldwide, had a seminal participation in the definition of this disease, more than 40 years ago.
Key words:
ataxia; spinocerebellar ataxias; Machado-Joseph disease; neurology; history