The Duke scientists began their search for genes associated with the disease by studying two families whose members had hereditary spastic paraplegia. 杜克研究中心的科学家们研究了两个存在遗传性痉挛性截瘫患者的家庭。
Hereditary spastic paraplegia, one of a number of related inherited disorders, causes progressive limb weakness and stiffness, often resulting in paralysis. 遗传性痉挛性截瘫是一种遗传性疾病，患者症状是下肢进行性萎缩和僵直，其中大多最终将瘫痪。
