MedGen

The spectrum of GRN frontotemporal dementia (GRN-FTD) includes the behavioral variant (bvFTD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA; further subcategorized as progressive nonfluent aphasia [PNFA] and semantic dementia [SD]), and movement disorders with extrapyramidal features such as parkinsonism and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). A broad range of clinical features both within and between families is observed. The age of onset ranges from 35 to 87 years. Behavioral disturbances are the most common early feature, followed by progressive aphasia. Impairment in executive function manifests as loss of judgment and insight. In early stages, PPA often manifests as deficits in naming, word finding, or word comprehension. In late stages, affected individuals often become mute and lose their ability to communicate. Early findings of parkinsonism include rigidity, bradykinesia or akinesia (slowing or absence of movements), limb dystonia, apraxia (loss of ability to carry out learned purposeful movements), and disequilibrium. Late motor findings may include myoclonus, dysarthria, and dysphagia. Most affected individuals eventually lose the ability to walk. Disease duration is three to 12 years. [from GeneReviews]

Neuroferritinopathy is an adult-onset progressive movement disorder characterized by chorea or dystonia and speech and swallowing deficits. The movement disorder typically affects one or two limbs and progresses to become more generalized within 20 years of disease onset. When present, asymmetry in the movement abnormalities remains throughout the course of the disorder. Most individuals develop a characteristic orofacial action-specific dystonia related to speech that leads to dysarthrophonia. Frontalis overactivity and orolingual dyskinesia are common. Cognitive deficits and behavioral issues become major problems with time. [from GeneReviews]

ATP1A3-related disorder consists of heterogenous overlapping clinical findings that pertain to the four most common historically defined phenotypes: alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC); cerebellar ataxia, areflexia, pes cavus, optic atrophy, sensorineural hearing loss (CAPOS) syndrome; relapsing encephalopathy with cerebellar ataxia (RECA) / fever-induced paroxysmal weakness and encephalopathy (FIPWE); and rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP). These phenotypes exist on a spectrum and should be regarded as classifications of convenience. AHC is characterized by onset prior to age 18 months of paroxysmal hemiplegic episodes, predominately involving the limbs and/or the whole body, lasting from minutes to hours to days (and sometimes weeks) with remission only during sleep, only to resume after awakening. Although paroxysmal episodic neurologic dysfunction predominates early in the disease course, with age increasingly persistent neurologic dysfunction predominates, including oculomotor apraxia and strabismus, dysarthria, speech and language delay, developmental delay, and impairment in social skills. Other system involvement may include cardiovascular (cardiac conduction abnormalities) and gastrointestinal (constipation, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain) manifestations. CAPOS syndrome presents in infancy or childhood (usually ages 6 months to 5 years) with cerebellar ataxia during or after a fever. The acute febrile encephalopathy may include hypotonia, flaccidity, nystagmus, strabismus, dysarthria/anarthria, lethargy, loss of consciousness, and even coma. Usually, considerable recovery occurs within days to weeks; however, persistence of some degree of ataxia and other manifestations is typical. RECA/FIPWE primarily presents with fever-induced episodes (infancy to age 5 years); however, first episodes can occur occasionally in young adults during illnesses such as mononucleosis. Recurrent fever-induced episodes may be ataxia-dominated RECA-like motor manifestations or FIPWE-like non-motor manifestations (encephalopathy) and can vary among affected individuals. Notably, RECA-like and FIPWE-like manifestations can occur in the same individual in different episodes. In some individuals episodes seem to decrease in frequency and severity over time, whereas others might experience worsening of manifestations. RDP presents in individuals ages 18 months to 60 years and older with dystonia that is typically of abrupt onset over hours to several weeks, though some individuals report gradual onset over the course of months. A stress-related trigger is identifiable in up to 75% of individuals. Dystonia rarely improves significantly after onset; some individuals report mild improvement over time, whereas others can experience subsequent episodes of abrupt worsening months to years after onset. Limbs are usually the first to be affected, although by the time of diagnosis – typically many years after onset – individuals most commonly display a bulbar-predominant generalized dystonia. Exceptions are common and a rostrocaudal gradient is rare rather than typical. Migraines and seizures are also observed. [from GeneReviews]

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (SCA17) is characterized by ataxia, dementia, and involuntary movements, including chorea and dystonia. Psychiatric symptoms, pyramidal signs, and rigidity are common. The age of onset ranges from three to 55 years. Individuals with full-penetrance alleles develop neurologic and/or psychiatric symptoms by age 50 years. Ataxia and psychiatric abnormalities are frequently the initial findings, followed by involuntary movement, parkinsonism, dementia, and pyramidal signs. Brain MRI shows variable atrophy of the cerebrum, brain stem, and cerebellum. The clinical features correlate with the length of the polyglutamine expansion but are not absolutely predictive of the clinical course. [from GeneReviews]

Biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease (BTBGD) may present in early infancy, childhood, or adulthood. Early-infantile BTBGD presents before age three months with vomiting, feeding difficulties, encephalopathy, hypotonia, seizures, and respiratory failure. Classic BTBGD presents between ages three and ten years with recurrent subacute encephalopathy manifesting as confusion, seizures, ataxia, supranuclear facial palsy, external ophthalmoplegia, and/or dysphagia that, if left untreated, can eventually lead to coma and even death. Dystonia and cogwheel rigidity are nearly always present; hyperreflexia, ankle clonus, and Babinski responses are common. Hemiparesis or quadriparesis may be seen. Episodes are often triggered by febrile illness or mild trauma or stress. Simple partial or generalized seizures are easily controlled with anti-seizure medication. Adult Wernicke-like encephalopathy BTBGD, described in three individuals to date, presents after age ten years with acute onset of status epilepticus, ataxia, nystagmus, diplopia, and ophthalmoplegia. Prompt administration of biotin and thiamine early in the disease course results in partial or complete improvement within days in classic and adult BTBGD; however, most infants with early-infantile BTBGD have a poor outcome. [from GeneReviews]

Christianson syndrome (referred to as CS in this GeneReview), an X-linked disorder, is characterized in males by cognitive dysfunction, behavioral disorder, and neurologic findings (e.g., seizures, ataxia, postnatal microcephaly, and eye movement abnormalities). Males with CS typically present with developmental delay, later meeting criteria for severe intellectual disability (ID). Behaviorally, autism spectrum disorder and hyperactivity are common, and may resemble the behaviors observed in Angelman syndrome. Hypotonia and oropharyngeal dysphagia in infancy may result in failure to thrive. Seizures, typically beginning before age three years, can include infantile spasms and tonic, tonic-clonic, myoclonic, and atonic seizures. Subsequently, regression (e.g., loss of ambulation and ability to feed independently) may occur. Manifestations in heterozygous females range from asymptomatic to mild ID and/or behavioral issues. [from GeneReviews]

CHMP2B frontotemporal dementia (CHMP2B-FTD) has been described in a single family from Denmark, in one individual with familial FTD from Belgium, and in one individual with FTD and no family history. It typically starts between ages 46 and 65 years with subtle personality changes and slowly progressive behavioral changes, dysexecutive syndrome, dyscalculia, and language disturbances. Disinhibition or loss of initiative is the most common presenting symptom. The disease progresses over a few years into profound dementia with extrapyramidal symptoms and mutism. Several individuals have developed an asymmetric akinetic rigid syndrome with arm and gait dystonia and pyramidal signs that may be related to treatment with neuroleptic drugs. Symptoms and disease course are highly variable. Disease duration may be as short as three years or longer than 20 years. [from GeneReviews]

The spectrum of clinical manifestations of MAPT-related frontotemporal dementia (MAPT-FTD) has expanded from its original description of frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonian manifestations to include changes in behavior, motor function, memory, and/or language. A recent retrospective study suggested that the majority of affected individuals have either behavioral changes consistent with a diagnosis of behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) or, less commonly, a parkinsonian syndrome (i.e., progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, or Parkinson disease). Fewer than 5% of people with MAPT-FTD have primary progressive aphasia or Alzheimer disease. Clinical presentation may differ between and within families with the same MAPT variant. MAPT-FTD is a progressive disorder that commonly ends with a relatively global dementia in which some affected individuals become mute. Progression of motor impairment in affected individuals results in some becoming chairbound and others bedbound. Mean disease duration is 9.3 (SD: 6.4) years but is individually variable and can be more than 30 years in some instances. [from GeneReviews]

Frontotemporal dementia and/or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-3 is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by adult or late adult onset of cognitive impairment, behavioral abnormalities, and speech apraxia and/or upper and lower motor neuron signs. Some patients may also develop Paget disease of bone. The phenotype is highly variable, even within families (summary by Rea et al., 2014). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of FTDALS, see FTDALS1 (105550). [from OMIM]

The spectrum of CSF1R-related disorder ranges from early-onset disease (age <18 years) to late-onset disease (age =18 years). Early-onset disease is associated with hypotonia, delayed acquisition of developmental milestones, and non-neurologic manifestations (such as skeletal abnormalities); both early- and late-onset disease have similar neurodegenerative involvement. Most affected individuals eventually become bedridden with spasticity, rigidity, and loss of the ability to walk. They lose speech and voluntary movement and appear to be generally unaware of their surroundings. The last stage of disease progresses to a vegetative state with presence of primitive reflexes, such as visual and tactile grasp, mouth-opening reflex, and sucking reflex. Death most commonly results from pneumonia or other infections. About 500 individuals with CSF1R-related disorder have been reported to date. [from GeneReviews]

Congenital arthrogryposis with anterior horn cell disease (CAAHD) is an autosomal recessive neuromuscular disorder with highly variable severity. Affected individuals are usually noted to have contractures in utero on prenatal ultrasound studies, and present at birth with generalized contractures manifest as arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC). Patients have severe hypotonia with respiratory insufficiency, often resulting in death in infancy or early childhood. Some patients may survive into later childhood with supportive care, but may be unable to walk or sit independently due to a combination of muscle weakness and contractures. Cognition may be normal. The disorder also includes multiple congenital anomalies associated with AMC and hypotonia, including high-arched palate, myopathic facies, and bulbar weakness. Neuropathologic studies demonstrate severe loss of anterior horn cells in the spinal cord, as well as diffuse motor neuron axonopathy (summary by Smith et al., 2017 and Tan et al., 2017). Distinction from Lethal Congenital Contracture Syndrome 1 Biallelic mutation in the GLE1 gene can also cause LCCS1, which is lethal in utero. However, distinguishing between LCCS1 and CAAHD is controversial. Smith et al. (2017) suggested that differentiating between the 2 disorders has limited utility, and that they may represent a genotype/phenotype correlation rather than 2 different disease entities. In contrast, Said et al. (2017) concluded that LCCS1 represents a distinct clinical entity in which all affected individuals die prenatally and exhibit no fetal movements. Vuopala et al. (1995) differentiated CAAHD from LCCS1, noting that both are prevalent in Finland. LCCS1 is always fatal during the fetal period, presenting with severe hydrops and intrauterine growth retardation. In LCCS1, the spinal cord is macroscopically thinned because of an early reduction of the anterior horn and a paucity of anterior horn cells. The skeletal muscles are extremely hypoplastic, even difficult to locate. Infants with CAAHD survive longer than those with LCCS1, and when present, hydrops and intrauterine growth retardation are mild. The macroscopic findings of the central nervous system and skeletal muscles are closer to normal, although microscopic analysis also shows degeneration of anterior horn cells. In addition, birthplaces of ancestors of affected individuals do not show clustering in the northeast part of Finland, as is the case with LCCS1. [from OMIM]

Frontotemporal dementia and/or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-4 is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder characterized by adult or late adult onset of cognitive impairment, behavioral abnormalities, and speech apraxia and/or upper and lower motor neuron signs. The phenotype is highly variable (summary by Freischmidt et al., 2015). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of FTDALS, see FTDALS1 (105550). [from OMIM]

Brain abnormalities, neurodegeneration, and dysosteosclerosis (BANDDOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by brain abnormalities, progressive neurologic deterioration, and sclerotic bone dysplasia similar to dysosteosclerosis (DOS). The age at onset is highly variable: some patients may present in infancy with hydrocephalus, global developmental delay, and hypotonia, whereas others may have onset of symptoms in the late teens or early twenties after normal development. Neurologic features include loss of previous motor and language skills, cognitive impairment, spasticity, and focal seizures. Brain imaging shows periventricular white matter abnormalities and calcifications, large cisterna magna or Dandy-Walker malformation, and sometimes agenesis of the corpus callosum (summary by Guo et al., 2019). [from OMIM]

Progressive myoclonic epilepsy-10 (EPM10) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by onset of progressive myoclonus, ataxia, spasticity, dysarthria, and cognitive decline in the first decade of life. The severity is variable, but some patients may become mute and bedridden with psychosis (summary by Turnbull et al., 2012). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of progressive myoclonic epilepsy, see EPM1A (254800). [from OMIM]

A rare Huntington disease-like syndrome with characteristics of childhood-onset progressive neurologic deterioration with pyramidal and extrapyramidal abnormalities, chorea, dystonia, ataxia, gait instability, spasticity, seizures, mutism, and (on brain MRI) progressive frontal cortical atrophy and bilateral caudate atrophy. [from SNOMEDCT_US]

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL; CLN) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the intracellular accumulation of autofluorescent lipopigment storage material in different patterns ultrastructurally. The clinical course includes progressive dementia, seizures, and progressive visual failure (Mole et al., 2005). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis, see CLN1 (256730). [from OMIM]

Neurodevelopmental disorder with absent speech and movement and behavioral abnormalities (NEDSMB) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by global developmental delay and severely impaired intellectual development with aggressive behavior. Mild dysmorphic features and hypodontia are also present (Faqeih et al., 2023). [from OMIM]

Complete lack of speech or verbal communication in a person despite attempts to engage in conversation. Mutism as a phenomena assumes the individual has previous capacity for speech and in the pediatric population it assumes that the person is past the age of typical language development. [from HPO]