Angelman syndrome: a case series assessing neurological issues in adulthood.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical symptoms of Angelman syndrome (AS) in adults and to identify the neurological pathways affected in this disease. AS is a neurogenetic disorder resulting due to the deletion or inactivation of the ubiquitin-protein-ligase E3A gene on maternal chromosome 15. SUMMARY: A retrospective analysis of data from six adults patients with clinical, electroencephalographic and genetic confirmation of AS was performed. Movement disorders of the hands and mouth, laughing spells, severe expressive speech disorders, a happy nature, hyposomnia and anxiety are the major neurological characteristics of AS in adulthood. Cerebellar ataxia, muscle hypotonia and tremor, though constant in childhood, tend to be attenuated in adulthood. Epilepsy, one of the most frequent symptoms in childhood and in adulthood, is characterised by specific electroencephalographic patterns. Key Messages: These clinical characteristics are important to improve the clinical awareness and genetic diagnosis of AS. Clinicians must be better informed concerning the adult phenotype as it is not well described in the literature. We stress the importance of AS as one of the main causes of intractable epilepsy. The authors suggest frontal and cerebellar dysfunction. Further functional cerebral imaging studies are necessary.

Mutations in SLC13A5 cause autosomal-recessive epileptic encephalopathy with seizure onset in the first days of life.

Epileptic encephalopathy (EE) refers to a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of severe disorders characterized by seizures, abnormal interictal electro-encephalogram, psychomotor delay, and/or cognitive deterioration. We ascertained two multiplex families (including one consanguineous family) consistent with an autosomal-recessive inheritance pattern of EE. All seven affected individuals developed subclinical seizures as early as the first day of life, severe epileptic disease, and profound developmental delay with no facial dysmorphism. Given the similarity in clinical presentation in the two families, we hypothesized that the observed phenotype was due to mutations in the same gene, and we performed exome sequencing in three affected individuals. Analysis of rare variants in genes consistent with an autosomal-recessive mode of inheritance led to identification of mutations in SLC13A5, which encodes the cytoplasmic sodium-dependent citrate carrier, notably expressed in neurons. Disease association was confirmed by cosegregation analysis in additional family members. Screening of 68 additional unrelated individuals with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy for SLC13A5 mutations led to identification of one additional subject with compound heterozygous mutations of SLC13A5 and a similar clinical presentation as the index subjects. Mutations affected key residues for sodium binding, which is critical for citrate transport. These findings underline the value of careful clinical characterization for genetic investigations in highly heterogeneous conditions such as EE and further highlight the role of citrate metabolism in epilepsy.

Expanding the clinical phenotype of patients with a ZDHHC9 mutation.

In 2007, 250 families with X-linked intellectual disability (XLID) were screened for mutations in genes on the X-chromosome, and in 4 of these families, mutations in the ZDHHC9 gene were identified. The ID was either isolated or associated with a marfanoid habitus. ZDHHC9 encodes a palmitoyl transferase that catalyzes the posttranslational modification of NRAS and HRAS. Since this first description, no additional patient with a ZDHHC9 mutation has been reported in the literature. Here, we describe a large family in which we identified a novel pathogenic ZDHHC9 nonsense mutation (p.Arg298*) by parallel sequencing of all X-chromosome exons. The mutation cosegregated with the clinical phenotype in this family. An 18-year-old patient and his 40-year-old maternal uncle were evaluated. Clinical examination showed normal growth parameters, lingual fasciculation, limited extension of the elbows and metacarpophalangeal joints, and acrocyanosis. There was neither facial dysmorphism nor marfanoid habitus. Brain MRI detected a dysplastic corpus callosum. Neuropsychological testing showed mild intellectual disability. They both displayed generalized anxiety disorder, and the younger patient also suffered from significant behavior impairment that required attention or treatment. Speech evaluation detected satisfactory spoken language since both were able to provide information and to understand conversations of everyday life. Occupational therapy examination showed impaired visual-spatial and visual-motor performance with poor drawing/graphic skills. These manifestations are not specific enough to guide ZDHHC9 screening in patients with ID, and emphasize the value of next generation sequencing for making a molecular diagnosis and genetic counseling in families with XLID.

C5orf42 is the major gene responsible for OFD syndrome type VI.

Oral-facial-digital syndrome type VI (OFD VI) is a recessive ciliopathy defined by two diagnostic criteria: molar tooth sign (MTS) and one or more of the following: (1) tongue hamartoma (s) and/or additional frenula and/or upper lip notch; (2) mesoaxial polydactyly of one or more hands or feet; (3) hypothalamic hamartoma. Because of the MTS, OFD VI belongs to the "Joubert syndrome related disorders". Its genetic aetiology remains largely unknown although mutations in the TMEM216 gene, responsible for Joubert (JBS2) and Meckel-Gruber (MKS2) syndromes, have been reported in two OFD VI patients. To explore the molecular cause(s) of OFD VI syndrome, we used an exome sequencing strategy in six unrelated families followed by Sanger sequencing. We identified a total of 14 novel mutations in the C5orf42 gene in 9/11 families with positive OFD VI diagnostic criteria including a severe fetal case with microphthalmia, cerebellar hypoplasia, corpus callosum agenesis, polydactyly and skeletal dysplasia. C5orf42 mutations have already been reported in Joubert syndrome confirming that OFD VI and JBS are allelic disorders, thus enhancing our knowledge of the complex, highly heterogeneous nature of ciliopathies.

Detailed clinical, genetic and neuroimaging characterization of OFD VI syndrome.

Oral-facial-digital syndrome type VI (OFD VI) is characterized by the association of malformations of the face, oral cavity and extremities, distinguished from the 12 other OFD syndromes by cerebellar and metacarpal abnormalities. Cerebellar malformations in OFD VI have been described as a molar tooth sign (MTS), thus, including OFD VI among the "Joubert syndrome related disorders" (JSRD). OFD VI diagnostic criteria have recently been suggested: MTS and one or more of the following: 1) tongue hamartoma(s) and/or additional frenula and/or upper lip notch; 2) mesoaxial polydactyly of hands or feet; 3) hypothalamic hamartoma. In order to further delineate this rare entity, we present the neurological and radiological data of 6 additional OFD VI patients. All patients presented oral malformations, facial dysmorphism and distal abnormalities including frequent polydactyly (66%), as well as neurological symptoms with moderate to severe mental retardation. Contrary to historically reported patients, mesoaxial polydactyly did not appear to be a predominant clinical feature in OFD VI. Sequencing analyzes of the 14 genes implicated in JSRD up to 2011 revealed only an OFD1 frameshift mutation in one female OFD VI patient, strengthening the link between these two oral-facial-digital syndromes and JSRD.

Antenatal factors associated with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Perinatal arterial ischemic stroke (PAIS) is a common cause of hemiplegic cerebral palsy in children. The diagnosis of PAIS is based on cerebral imaging. The objective of our study was to determine prenatal risk factors associated with PAIS. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was nested in the whole population of Burgundy, France, from January 2000 to December 2007. Case patients were confirmed by review of brain imaging and medical records. Three control subjects per case were randomly selected from the study population by sex, term, place, and year of birth. RESULTS: PAIS was confirmed in 32 patients and its incidence was one per 4400 live births. In comparison to control subjects, clinical conditions significantly associated to cases were gestational diabetes (16.1% versus 4.2%; P=0.04), fetal heart rate abnormalities (35.5% versus 10.9%; P=0.001), and meconium-stained liquor (40% versus 12%; P<0.001). At the limit of statistical significance were found maternal smoking before (39.3% versus 22.9%; P=0.08) and during pregnancy (32.1% versus 16.7%; P=0.07), cord abnormalities (29% versus 14.1%; P=0.06), and cesarean delivery (28.1% versus 14.6%; P=0.08). In the multivariate analysis, maternal smoking during pregnancy (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.1-8.8; P=0.04) was the only risk factor significantly associated with PAIS. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to identify maternal smoking during pregnancy as an independent prenatal risk factor of PAIS. Additional prospective studies are needed to confirm this result and to investigate the role of maternal smoking in fetal and neonatal thrombogenesis.

[Stroke in children: a medical emergency]. / Accidents vasculaires cérébraux de l'enfant : une urgence médicale qui doit bénéficier des filières neurovasculaires régionales mises en place par le Plan National AVC.

Stroke in children is an important public health problem because, even if it is 10 folds less frequent than in adults, it may have severe consequences, related to the lack of dedicated stroke network in childhood. Therefore, it is important to know the initial clinical symptoms of stroke in children as well as the lack of aphasia opposed to the great frequency of epilepsy, and dystonia. The causes are different compared to the great frequency of cerebral hemorrhage from vascular malformations, cerebral infarct from genetic, cardiac or thrombophilic origin. Prognosis is more favourable compared to that of adults. The management of stroke in childhood must be included in the stroke network of adults, associating the paediatricians. Fibrinolysis is possible in children with a similar efficacy compared to that of adults.