delayed psychomotor development

Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia 7

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The ocular phenotype has not been fully evaluated.  Optic atrophy, nystagmus, and strabismus have been reported in addition to dysmorphic periocular features such as epicanthal folds, upslanting lid fissures, and a flattened nasal bridge.  Infants frequently do not fix and follow.

Systemic Features: 

Infants may be small at birth and subsequent psychomotor development is delayed.  The ears are large and the palate is highly arched.  Hypotonia is present from birth but spasticity with hyperreflexia may also be seen.  Brain imaging may show a thin corpus callosum as well as olivopontocerebellar hypoplasia.  The ventricles are frequently enlarged.  Patients are frequently irritable with few spontaneous movements.

Genitalia can be ambiguous and are frequently assigned to the female gender because of microphallus, fused scrotum, absent testes, and absence of the uterus.  Many such infants are found to have XY karyotypes.  Infants considered male at birth may subsequently show regression of penile corporeal tissue and may have genitalia that more closely resemble the female gender.  Pelvic imaging and laparoscopy, however, may reveal a uterus, Fallopian tubes and a blind-ending vagina with no gonadal tissue even in individuals with XY karyotypes. 

Genetics

Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the TOE1 gene (1p34.1) are responsible for this condition.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment has been reported.

References
Article Title: 

Biallelic mutations in the 3' exonuclease TOE1 cause pontocerebellar hypoplasia and uncover a role in snRNA processing

Lardelli RM, Schaffer AE, Eggens VR, Zaki MS, Grainger S, Sathe S, Van Nostrand EL, Schlachetzki Z, Rosti B, Akizu N, Scott E, Silhavy JL, Heckman LD, Rosti RO, Dikoglu E, Gregor A, Guemez-Gamboa A, Musaev D, Mande R, Widjaja A, Shaw TL, Markmiller S, Marin-Valencia I, Davies JH, de Meirleir L, Kayserili H, Altunoglu U, Freckmann ML, Warwick L, Chitayat D, Blaser S, Caglayan AO, Bilguvar K, Per H, Fagerberg C, Christesen HT, Kibaek M, Aldinger KA, Manchester D, Matsumoto N, Muramatsu K, Saitsu H, Shiina M, Ogata K, Foulds N, Dobyns WB, Chi NC, Traver D, Spaccini L, Bova SM, Gabriel SB, Gunel M, Valente EM, Nassogne MC, Bennett EJ, Yeo GW, Baas F, Lykke-Andersen J, Gleeson JG. Biallelic mutations in the 3' exonuclease TOE1 cause pontocerebellar hypoplasia and uncover a role in snRNA processing. Nat Genet. 2017 Mar;49(3):457-464.

PubMed ID: 
28092684

Mitochondrial Short-Chain Enoyl-CoA Hydratase 1 Deficiency

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The ocular phenotype has not been thoroughly studied.  Nystagmus has been reported in several infants.

Systemic Features: 

Evidence of severe psychomotor retardation is evident at birth or shortly thereafter.  Neonatal hypotonia with a poor suck reflex and episodic apnea is evident.  Spasticity may become evident later.  Brain imaging shows T-weighted hyperintensity areas in the basal ganglia resembling Leigh syndrome lesions.  The corpus callosum appears thin.  Serum and CSF lactate is elevated and decreased activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is present.

Infants do not achieve normal developmental milestones such as speech or sitting unsupported and several have died early in childhood from cardiorespiratory failure, possibly related to a combined mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction.

Genetics

The transmission pattern in several families is consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance.  Compound heterozygous mutations have been found in the ECHS1 gene (10q26.3).

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment has been reported.

References
Article Title: 

Spinocerebellar Ataxia 18

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Ocular signs in SCAR18 include nystagmus, oculomotor apraxia, and optic atrophy.  The nystagmus may be rotatory or horizontal and can be gaze-evoked.  Some patients have intermittent and tonic upgaze.  Visual acuity has not been reported.

Systemic Features: 

Patients are developmentally delayed and have intellectual disability.  These features do not seem to be progressive.  Ataxia, both truncal and cerebellar, is present.  Mobility is impaired from early childhood and eventually requires assistance.   Joint contractures sometimes develop and patients can be wheelchair-bound by the second decade.  Dysarthric speech is common.  No dysmorphic facial features are present.

Brain imaging shows progressive cerebellar and sometimes cerebral atrophy.

Genetics

This autosomal recessive disorder results from homozygous deletions in the GRID2 gene (4q22).  This gene codes for a subunit of the glutamate receptor channel and is thought to be selectively expressed in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment has been reported.  However, physical therapy, assistive devices for mobility, and low vision aids may be helpful.

References
Article Title: 
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