Leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter 3

Childhood ataxia with central nervous system hypomyelination / vanishing white matter (CACH/VWM) is characterized by ataxia, spasticity, and variable optic atrophy. The phenotypic range includes a prenatal/congenital form, a subacute infantile form (onset age <1 year), an early childhood-onset form (onset age 1 to <4 years), a late childhood-/juvenile-onset form (onset age 4 to <18 years), and an adult-onset form (onset ≥18 years). The prenatal/congenital form is characterized by severe encephalopathy. In the later-onset forms initial motor and intellectual development is normal or mildly delayed, followed by neurologic deterioration with a chronic progressive or subacute course. While in childhood-onset forms motor deterioration dominates, in adult-onset forms cognitive decline and personality changes dominate. Chronic progressive decline can be exacerbated by rapid deterioration during febrile illnesses or following head trauma or major surgical procedures, or by acute and extreme fright.

Full text of GeneReview (by section):

Summary

Diagnosis

Clinical Characteristics

Genetically Related (Allelic) Disorders

Differential Diagnosis

Management

Genetic Counseling

Resources

Molecular Genetics

References

Chapter Notes

Authors:

Marjo S van der Knaap

Anne Fogli

Odile Boespflug-Tanguy

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