visual impairment

Mental Retardation, AD 53

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Dysmorphism of periocular structures includes downward slanting lid fissures, hypertelorism, and epicanthal folds.  Evidence for visual problems comes from visual tracking difficulties in some individuals.  Strabismus is present in a minority of patients.

Systemic Features: 

Delayed global development, cognitive impairment, and intellectual disability are major features of this form of mental retardation.  Hypotonia is present early.  Severe delays in onset of speech and walking are found in all patients and never develop in many individuals.  Behavior problems include, anxiety, hyperactivity, aggression, and autistic traits.  Feeding problems and breathing irregularities have been reported.  Seizures occur in some patients.

Brain MRIs are generally normal although corpus callosum anomalies are sometimes identified.

Genetics

Heterozygous mutations in the CAMK2A gene (5q32) have been found in individuals with this disorder.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment for the general condition has been reported.

References
Article Title: 

De Novo Mutations in Protein Kinase Genes CAMK2A and CAMK2B Cause Intellectual Disability

Kury S, van Woerden GM, Besnard T, Proietti Onori M, Latypova X, Towne MC, Cho MT, Prescott TE, Ploeg MA, Sanders S, Stessman HAF, Pujol A, Distel B, Robak LA, Bernstein JA, Denomme-Pichon AS, Lesca G, Sellars EA, Berg J, Carre W, Busk OL, van Bon BWM, Waugh JL, Deardorff M, Hoganson GE, Bosanko KB, Johnson DS, Dabir T, Holla OL, Sarkar A, Tveten K, de Bellescize J, Braathen GJ, Terhal PA, Grange DK, van Haeringen A, Lam C, Mirzaa G, Burton J, Bhoj EJ, Douglas J, Santani AB, Nesbitt AI, Helbig KL, Andrews MV, Begtrup A, Tang S, van Gassen KLI, Juusola J, Foss K, Enns GM, Moog U, Hinderhofer K, Paramasivam N, Lincoln S, Kusako BH, Lindenbaum P, Charpentier E, Nowak CB, Cherot E, Simonet T, Ruivenkamp CAL, Hahn S, Brownstein CA, Xia F, Schmitt S, Deb W, Bonneau D, Nizon M, Quinquis D, Chelly J, Rudolf G, Sanlaville D, Parent P, Gilbert-Dussardier B, Toutain A, Sutton VR, Thies J, Peart-Vissers LELM, Boisseau P, Vincent M, Grabrucker AM, Dubourg C; Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Tan WH, Verbeek NE, Granzow M, Santen GWE, Shendure J, Isidor B, Pasquier L, Redon R, Yang Y, State MW, Kleefstra T, Cogne B; GEM HUGO; Deciphering Developmental Disorders Study, Petrovski S, Retterer K, Eichler EE, Rosenfeld JA, Agrawal PB, Bezieau S, Odent S, Elgersma Y, Mercier S. De Novo Mutations in Protein Kinase Genes CAMK2A and CAMK2B Cause Intellectual Disability. Am J Hum Genet. 2017 Nov 2;101(5):768-788.

PubMed ID: 
29100089

Epileptic Encephalopathy, Early Infantile 58

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Infants are noted early to have poor fixation and visual following of targets.  Optic nerve hypoplasia is evident on brain MRIs.

Systemic Features: 

Epilepsy and development delay are hallmarks of this condition.  The seizures are of multiple types and have their onset in the first year of life.  The EEG often shows diffuse slowing, multifocal spikes and hypsarrhythmia.  These are often difficult to control.  Severe intellectual disability is usually present.  Feeding difficulties are evident early and slow growth is common.  Hypotonia is common but hyperreflexia and spasticity are also reported.

Brain MRIs show delayed or reduced myelination.  Acquired microcephaly is often seen.

Genetics

De novo heterozygous mutations in the NTRK2 gene (9p21.33) have been found in 4 unrelated individuals.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment has been reported.

References
Article Title: 

High Rate of Recurrent De Novo Mutations in Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies

Hamdan FF, Myers CT, Cossette P, Lemay P, Spiegelman D, Laporte AD, Nassif C, Diallo O, Monlong J, Cadieux-Dion M, Dobrzeniecka S, Meloche C, Retterer K, Cho MT, Rosenfeld JA, Bi W, Massicotte C, Miguet M, Brunga L, Regan BM, Mo K, Tam C, Schneider A, Hollingsworth G; Deciphering Developmental Disorders Study, FitzPatrick DR, Donaldson A, Canham N, Blair E, Kerr B, Fry AE, Thomas RH, Shelagh J, Hurst JA, Brittain H, Blyth M, Lebel RR, Gerkes EH, Davis-Keppen L, Stein Q, Chung WK, Dorison SJ, Benke PJ, Fassi E, Corsten-Janssen N, Kamsteeg EJ, Mau-Them FT, Bruel AL, Verloes A, Ounap K, Wojcik MH, Albert DVF, Venkateswaran S, Ware T, Jones D, Liu YC, Mohammad SS, Bizargity P, Bacino CA, Leuzzi V, Martinelli S, Dallapiccola B, Tartaglia M, Blumkin L, Wierenga KJ, Purcarin G, O'Byrne JJ, Stockler S, Lehman A, Keren B, Nougues MC, Mignot C, Auvin S, Nava C, Hiatt SM, Bebin M, Shao Y, Scaglia F, Lalani SR, Frye RE, Jarjour IT, Jacques S, Boucher RM, Riou E, Srour M, Carmant L, Lortie A, Major P, Diadori P, Dubeau F, D'Anjou G, Bourque G, Berkovic SF, Sadleir LG, Campeau PM, Kibar Z, Lafreniere RG, Girard SL, Mercimek-Mahmutoglu S, Boelman C, Rouleau GA, Scheffer IE, Mefford HC, Andrade DM, Rossignol E, Minassian BA, Michaud JL. High Rate of Recurrent De Novo Mutations in Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies. Am J Hum Genet. 2017 Nov 2;101(5):664-685.

 

PubMed ID: 
291000083

Retinitis Pigmentosa 77

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The onset of nyctalopia apparently varies from early childhood to 20 years of age and is usually the presenting symptom.  The loss of acuity is progressive (20/30 to 20/400) with older patients generally having more severe loss but there is little direct correlation with age.  Peripheral fields are progressively constricted, ranging from 10 to 30 degrees.  Some patients develop posterior subcapsular cataracts.  Retinal pigmentation is often mottled but 'bone spicules' are seen in about half of individuals.  Retinal vessels are narrowed.  The ERG shows generalized rod-cone dystrophy.

Systemic Features: 

No systemic abnormalities have been reported.

Genetics

Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the REEP6 gene (19p13.3) are responsible for this disorder.  Five unrelated families have been reported.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment has been reported although cataract removal may be visually beneficial.  

References
Article Title: 

Mutations in REEP6 Cause Autosomal-Recessive Retinitis Pigmentosa

Arno G, Agrawal SA, Eblimit A, Bellingham J, Xu M, Wang F, Chakarova C, Parfitt DA, Lane A, Burgoyne T, Hull S, Carss KJ, Fiorentino A, Hayes MJ, Munro PM, Nicols R, Pontikos N, Holder GE; UKIRDC., Asomugha C, Raymond FL, Moore AT, Plagnol V, Michaelides M, Hardcastle AJ, Li Y, Cukras C, Webster AR, Cheetham ME, Chen R. Mutations in REEP6 Cause Autosomal-Recessive Retinitis Pigmentosa. Am J Hum Genet. 2016 Dec 1;99(6):1305-1315.

PubMed ID: 
27889258

Chorioretinopathy with Microcephaly 2

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Microphthalmia and microcornea are seen in most individuals and one patient had unilateral clinical anophthalmia. Hyperopia and cataracts may be present. Nystagmus is common.  One patient had a corneal opacity.  The chorioretinopathy has not been described beyond evidence of the maculopathy, attenuated retinal vessels, and occasionally hyperpigmented zones.  The ERG is either not recordable or consistent with a severe rod-cone dystrophy.  Vitreous inclusions and a 'vitreoretinal dystrophy' with falciform retinal folds were noted in several patients.  A traction detachment was present in one and bilateral serous detachments were noted in another.

Systemic Features: 

Patients have mild to severe microcephaly (up to -15 SD) with psychomotor delays.  Profound intellectual disability is a consistent feature.  Physical growth is retarded and patients have shortness of stature.  Most patients are unable to sit, stand, or walk unassisted.  One patient died at 5.5 years of age while another was alive at 20 years of age.  Rare patients may have hearing loss and seizures.

Scoliosis, kyphosis, and lordosis may be seen while  other skeletal malformations seem to occur sporadically e.g., triphalangeal thumbs, brachydactyly, postaxial polydactyly, and restricted large joint motion.  

The forehead slopes markedly.  Neuroimaging shows a consistent reduction in cortex size with simple gyral folding while the cerebellum and the brain stem are also small.  Subarachnoid cysts have been noted in several patients and the corpus callosum may be short or otherwise malformed.

Genetics

Homozygous mutations in the PLK4 gene (4q28.2) segregate with this condition.  Its product localizes to centrioles and plays a central role in centriole duplication.

For a somewhat similar condition but without the sloping forhead see Chorioretinoapathy with Microcephaly 1 (251270) but resulting from homozygous mutations in TUBGCP6.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment is know.

References
Article Title: 

Mutations in PLK4, encoding a master regulator of centriole biogenesis, cause microcephaly, growth failure and retinopathy

Martin CA, Ahmad I, Klingseisen A, Hussain MS, Bicknell LS, Leitch A, Nurnberg G, Toliat MR, Murray JE, Hunt D, Khan F, Ali Z, Tinschert S, Ding J, Keith C, Harley ME, Heyn P, Muller R, Hoffmann I, Daire VC, Dollfus H, Dupuis L, Bashamboo A, McElreavey K, Kariminejad A, Mendoza-Londono R, Moore AT, Saggar A, Schlechter C, Weleber R, Thiele H, Altmuller J, Hohne W, Hurles ME, Noegel AA, Baig SM, Nurnberg P, Jackson AP. Mutations in PLK4, encoding a master regulator of centriole biogenesis, cause microcephaly, growth failure and retinopathy. Nat Genet. 2014 Dec;46(12):1283-92.

PubMed ID: 
25344692

Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Optic atrophy is a major ocular feature and the primary cause of visual impairment.  A minority (25%) of patients also have a diffuse fleck retinopathy with a bull’s eye maculopathy.  Later the retinopathy may resemble retinitis pigmentosa with a bone spicule pattern. Nystagmus is often present.  These signs usually follow systemic signs such as difficulties in locomotion.  An apraxia of eyelid opening has been noted and some patients have blepharospasm. 

Systemic Features: 

This is a progressive disorder of the basal ganglia with prominent symptoms of extrapyramidal dysfunction.  Onset is in early childhood or in the neonatal period with delayed development and sometimes mental retardation.  Choreoathetoid writhing movements, stuttering, dysphagia, muscle rigidity, and intermittent dystonia are prominent features.  Seizures are uncommon.  Older individuals may exhibit dementia and ambulation is eventually impaired.  The MRI usually shows an area of hyperintensity in the medial globus pallidus that has been called the ‘eye of the tiger’ sign but this is not pathognomonic.  Axonal degeneration with accumulation of spheroidal inclusions can be seen histologically. 

Genetics

The title of this disorder ‘neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation’ actually refers to a group of disorders with somewhat common characteristics.  Pentothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration or NB1A1 (234200) is  the most common of these. 

Types  NBIA2A (256600) and NBIA2B (610217) are caused by mutations in the PLA2G6 gene (22q13.1).  The former can be seen neonatally but usually has its onset in the first two years of life and is sometimes called infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy or Seitelberger disease.  Death may occur before the age of 10 years.  Signs of motor neuron and cerebellar disease are more prominent than in NB1A1. 

NBIA2B has a later onset (4-5 years) and profound sensorimotor impairment but there are many overlapping features and the nosology is confusing.  Mutations in the FTL gene cause yet another form designated NBIA3 (606159) but ocular signs seem to be absent. 

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

There is evidence that treatment with deferiprone reduces the amount of iron accumulation in the globus pallidus with motor improvement in at least some patients.  Most patients require supportive care.

References
Article Title: 
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