Spike in searches relating to spinal muscular atrophy following Jesy Nelson disclosure
Esme Needham | January 19, 2026 | News story | Medical Education | Neurology, spinal muscular atrophy
New research from the Centre for Surgery has shown a significant rise in Google searches relating to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in January 2026, following singer Jesy Nelson’s disclosure that her twins had been diagnosed with the condition.
The research showed that Google searches for ‘SMA treatment’ increased by 1,392%, while searches for ‘what is SMA’ rose by 525% and searches for ‘SMA symptoms’ rose by 2,752%, all compared to a 30-day average for these searches.
Nelson released a video on TikTok discussing her twins’ SMA diagnosis. She stated that they were not screened for the condition during pregnancy. Her announcement gained major traction across both mainstream and social media, leading to increased public interest in the disease, as well as its symptoms and management.
SMA is a rare genetic disease that affects the motor neurons responsible for muscle control. Its severity varies from milder forms that sometimes present in late childhood or adolescence to more serious, early-onset forms that progress rapidly.
While advances in therapeutic options for SMA have occurred in recent years, early diagnosis remains a vital factor in managing care and treatment. Prenatal screening for SMA is not currently routine for all UK parents, and the wide range of severity seen in SMA means that people who research the condition can be faced with information that is incomplete or overly complicated.
The sharp spike in searches for ‘what is SMA’ reflect previous public unfamiliarity with the condition.
Sophia Ensor, a spokesperson for the Centre for Surgery, said: “When a rare disorder enters mainstream conversation, it often exposes how little the general population knows about its mechanisms, symptoms and available treatments.”
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