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1.
J Clin Med ; 12(15)2023 Jul 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37568364

ABSTRACT

Global developmental delay (GDD) is a complex disorder that requires multimodal treatment involving different developmental skills. The objective of this single-blind, randomized, controlled pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of conventional rehabilitation programs integrated with the BTs-Nirvana virtual reality system. Patients with GDD aged 12 to 66 months were enrolled and treated for a 48-session cycle. Patients were randomized into two groups, (1) conventional treatment and (2) conventional treatment supplemented with the use of BTs-Nirvana, in a 1:1 ratio. Before and after treatments, areas of global development were tested with the Griffiths-III Mental Developmental Scale and the clinical indicator of global improvement were measured with the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I). Feasibility was confirmed by the high retention rate. The experimental group presented a significantly improvement in General Quotient (GQ) after treatment (GQ, p = 0.02), and the effect of the two treatments was significantly different in both the GQ (t =2.44; p = 0.02) and the Foundations of Learning subscale (t =3.66; p < 0.01). The overall improvement was also confirmed by the CGI-I (p = 0.03). According to these preliminary data, virtual reality can be considered a useful complementary tool to boost the effectiveness of conventional therapy in children with GDD.

2.
J Neurogenet ; 35(2): 67-73, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33821742

ABSTRACT

The SLC25A22 (Solute Carrier Family 25, Member 22) gene encodes for a mitochondrial glutamate/H+ symporter and is involved in the mitochondrial transport of metabolites across the mitochondrial membrane. We hereby report a 12-year-old girl presenting with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy, hypotonia, and global developmental delay. Whole exome sequencing identified a novel homozygous missense mutation in SLC25A22 gene (c.97A>G; p.Lys33Glu), as the likely cause of the disease. The phenotype of our patient and EEG recordings do not completely overlap with the phenotypes previously described, leading to a new and more complex form of disease associated with SLC25A22 variants, characterized by dyskinetic movements and oculogyric crisis.


Subject(s)
Developmental Disabilities , Epilepsy, Generalized , Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins/genetics , Child , Developmental Disabilities/genetics , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy, Generalized/genetics , Female , Humans , Muscle Hypotonia/genetics , Mutation, Missense , Phenotype
3.
J Genet ; 982019 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31819025

ABSTRACT

Mutations in genes involved in chromatin remodelling have been implicated in broad phenotypes of congenital abnormalities and neurodevelopment. However, limited genotype-phenotype correlations are available for some of the rarest genetic disorders that affect chromatin regulation. We hereby describe a 12-year-old girl presented at birth with severe hypotonia, developmental delay, a mid-line capillary malformation and distinctive craniofacial features. During the natural history of her disease, the girl developed severe spasticity and drug-resistant seizures, leading to a diagnosis of Bohring-Opitz syndrome (BOS). We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) and identified a de novo mutation in ASXL1 (c.2033dupG) which results in the introduction of a premature stop codon (p.R678fs*6). ASXL1 encodes a polycomb repressive complex protein implicated in chromatin regulation and de novo mutations are a known cause of BOS. Phenotypes with segmental craniofacial overgrowth associated to midline capillary malformations enlarge the clinical spectrum of BOS at onset and further expand the differential diagnosis in ASXL1 mutation carriers.


Subject(s)
Craniosynostoses/genetics , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , Intellectual Disability/genetics , Mutation , Repressor Proteins/genetics , Repressor Proteins/metabolism , Base Sequence , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Child , Codon, Nonsense/genetics , Craniosynostoses/diagnostic imaging , Craniosynostoses/physiopathology , Female , Genetic Association Studies , Genetic Diseases, Inborn/genetics , Humans , Intellectual Disability/diagnostic imaging , Intellectual Disability/physiopathology , Muscle Hypotonia , Pedigree , Phenotype , Exome Sequencing
4.
Epileptic Disord ; 20(5): 423-427, 2018 Oct 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30355546

ABSTRACT

De novo mutations in the GRIN1 gene have been recently reported as the molecular cause of a broad-spectrum early-onset neurological phenotype. Here, we describe a five-year-old girl with an early-onset epileptic encephalopathy associated with an infantile hyperkinetic movement disorder and oculomotor abnormalities. Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel p.Met641Leu de novo variant in the GRIN1 gene as the cause of the phenotype. In silico analysis suggested that the p.Met641Leu variant would alter the gating property of the ion channel, with the involved methionine residue facing towards the ion pore. Long-term systematic video-EEG allowed us to report on the electroclinical history and, specifically, on the semiology of the hyperkinetic movement disorder and oculomotor abnormalities resembling oculogyric crises in our patient. Our findings and a review of the recent literature reinforce the notion of GRIN1-encephalopathy as a recognizable neurological phenotype that should be suspected in early-onset epilepsy associated with hyperkinetic movement disorders. [Published with video sequence on www.epilepticdisorders.com].


Subject(s)
Epilepsy , Hyperkinesis , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Ocular Motility Disorders , Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/genetics , Child, Preschool , Electroencephalography , Epilepsy/complications , Epilepsy/genetics , Epilepsy/physiopathology , Female , Humans , Hyperkinesis/etiology , Hyperkinesis/genetics , Hyperkinesis/physiopathology , Ocular Motility Disorders/etiology , Ocular Motility Disorders/genetics , Ocular Motility Disorders/physiopathology , Video Recording
5.
Case Rep Med ; 2018: 3871425, 2018.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30123278

ABSTRACT

Microduplication of chromosome 8q22.1 is mainly associated to Leri's pleonosteosis syndrome phenotype, an extremely rare autosomal dominant disease encompassing the GDF6 and SDC2 genes. To date, most of the authors focus their attention only on skeletal symptoms of the disease, and they do not systematically research or describe the co-occurrence of psychiatric illnesses or mental disorders with these muscular-skeletal diseases. In this report, we provide a description of an 8-year-old girl, with a positive family history for both skeletal malformations and bipolar disorders (BD). We suggest a possible association between Leri's pleonosteosis features and psychiatric symptoms. Furthermore, our report could be added to the large amount of reports that describe the correlation between genetic regions and disease risk for both psychiatric and rheumatological disorders.

6.
J Neurogenet ; 32(4): 316-321, 2018 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29989513

ABSTRACT

Biallelic mutations in the SLC1A4 gene have been identified as a very rare cause of neurodevelopmental disorders. l-serine transport deficiency has been regarded as the causal molecular mechanism underlying the neurological phenotype of SLC1A4 mutation patients. To date this genetic condition has been reported almost exclusively in a limited number of Ashkenazi-Jewish individuals and as a result the SLC1A4 gene is not routinely included in the majority of the genetic diagnostic panels for neurological diseases. We hereby report a 7-year-old boy from a Southern Italian family, presenting with epileptic encephalopathy, congenital microcephaly, global developmental delay, severe hypotonia, spasticity predominant at the lower limbs, and thin corpus callosum. Whole exome sequencing identified a novel segregating SLC1A4 gene homozygous mutation (c.1141G > A: p.Gly381Arg) as the likely cause of the disease in our family. In order to deeply characterize the electro-clinical and neurological phenotype in our index patient, long-term systematic video-electroencephalograms (EEG) as well as repeated brain imaging studies (which included tractographic reconstructions) were performed on a regular basis during a 7 years follow-up time. In conclusion, we suggest to carefully considering SLC1A4 biallelic mutations in individuals presenting an early onset severe neurodevelopmental disorder with variable spasticity and seizures, regardless the patients' ethnic background.


Subject(s)
Amino Acid Transport System ASC/genetics , Brain Diseases/genetics , Epilepsy/genetics , Microcephaly/genetics , Quadriplegia/genetics , Child , Developmental Disabilities/genetics , Diffusion Tensor Imaging , Electroencephalography , Humans , Male , Mutation, Missense , Video Recording
7.
Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci ; 15(3): 285-287, 2017 08 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28783940

ABSTRACT

In the last years second-generation antipsychotics are increasingly prescribed in the pediatric population for the treatment of several psychiatric disorders. Among the long term adverse effects, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are less reported compared to first-generation antipsychotics. Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a iatrogenic rare syndrome characterized by persistent slow writhing and sudden involuntary movements mainly involving the oral-buccal-lingual area with masticatory movements. We report a young girl with mood disorders accompanied by mild intellectual disability and behavioral problems who had TD after treatment with Aripiprazole, which responded to Biperiden therapy.

8.
Seizure ; 23(4): 260-5, 2014 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24380692

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The present study aimed to assess the impact of the ketogenic diet on arterial morphology and endothelial function of the big vessels of the neck and on cardiac diastolic function, in a cohort of epileptic children and young adults treated with the ketogenic diet. METHODS: Patients were recruited based on the following inclusion criteria: (1) patients who were or had been on the ketogenic diet for a time period of at least six months. Each patient underwent measurement of carotid intima media thickness, carotid artery stiffness, echocardiography, and diastolic function assessment. Patients with drug resistant epilepsy, matched for number, age and sex and never treated with ketogenic diet, were recruited as controls. RESULTS: The population study was composed by 43 epilepsy patients (23 males), aged between 19 months and 31 years (mean 11 years). Twenty-three patients were or had been treated with ketogenic diet, and 20 had never been on it (control group). Subjects treated with the ketogenic diet had higher arterial stiffness parameters, including AIx and ß-index and higher serum levels of cholesterol or triglycerides compared to those who had never been on the diet (control group) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Arterial stiffness is increased in children and young adults treated with the ketogenic diet, before the increase of the intima media thickness. This supports that arterial stiffness is an early marker of vascular damage.


Subject(s)
Blood Pressure/physiology , Carotid Arteries/diagnostic imaging , Diet, Ketogenic/adverse effects , Epilepsy/diet therapy , Tunica Intima/pathology , Vascular Stiffness , Adolescent , Adult , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Blood Pressure/drug effects , Carotid Arteries/drug effects , Carotid Intima-Media Thickness , Case-Control Studies , Child , Child, Preschool , Cholesterol/blood , Cohort Studies , Echocardiography , Epilepsy/drug therapy , Epilepsy/pathology , Female , Humans , Infant , Male , Triglycerides/blood , Tunica Intima/drug effects , Vascular Stiffness/physiology , Young Adult
9.
Epilepsy Res ; 108(2): 340-4, 2014 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24315024

ABSTRACT

Sequencing of the KCNT1, PLCB1, SCN1A and TBC1D24 loci was performed in six children with typical features of malignant migrating partial seizures of infancy (MMPSI), to verify the presence of potential disease-causing mutations, including those already reported to be associated with the disease. Sanger sequencing failed to identify in these genes the previously reported pathogenic mutations in these patients, while a comprehensive mutational scanning analysis of these four loci by targeted re-sequencing led to detection of both intronic and exonic new variants. Based on the current knowledge, the sequence variants identified here do not allow to predict functional phenotypes that might explain, at least in part, MMPSI symptoms.


Subject(s)
Epilepsies, Partial/diagnosis , Epilepsies, Partial/genetics , Mutation/genetics , Carrier Proteins/genetics , Female , GTPase-Activating Proteins , Genetic Variation , Humans , Infant , Male , Membrane Proteins , NAV1.1 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel/genetics , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Phenotype , Phospholipase C beta/genetics , Potassium Channels/genetics , Potassium Channels, Sodium-Activated , Sequence Deletion
10.
Brain Dev ; 36(6): 541-4, 2014 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23911278

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a 11-year-old girl who developed an isolated hand-writing disorder with dysgraphia at the beginning of the school year in the sixth grade. A brain magnetic resonance angiography showed a round arteriovenous malformation sited in the left side of the midbrain extending to the ipsilateral medio-basal thalamus. Child neurologists should never neglect a thorough neurological evaluation in case of isolated worsening of handwriting, to rule out possible underlying organic causes.


Subject(s)
Agraphia/pathology , Arteriovenous Malformations/pathology , Brain Stem/blood supply , Handwriting , Agraphia/diagnosis , Arteriovenous Malformations/diagnosis , Brain Stem/abnormalities , Brain Stem/pathology , Cerebral Angiography , Child , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Angiography , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Mesencephalon/abnormalities , Mesencephalon/blood supply , Mesencephalon/pathology , Thalamus/abnormalities , Thalamus/blood supply , Thalamus/pathology
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