A distinct spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) phenotype that includes impaired vertical eye movements has recently been identified in a family from Spain. This new SCA subtype, designated SCA37 by the Human Genome Nomenclature Committee, maps to an 11-Mb region of chromosome 1p32. The altered eye movements seem to manifest early in the disease course, and may even precede the development of overt ataxia.