Menkes disease (MNK) is an X-linked recessive disorder characterized by generalized copper deficiency. The clinical features result from the dysfunction of several copper-dependent enzymes.

Aicardi syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects primarily females. Initially it was characterized by a typical triad of agenesis of the corpus callosum, central chorioretinal lacunae, and infantile spasms. As more affected individuals have been ascertained, it has become clear that not all affected girls have all three features of the classic triad and that other neurologic and systemic defects are common, including other brain malformations, optic nerve abnormalities, other seizure types, intellectual disability of varying severity, and scoliosis.

Most individuals with Canavan disease have the neonatal/infantile form. Although such infants appear normal early in life, by age three to five months, hypotonia, head lag, macrocephaly, and developmental delays become apparent. With age, children with neonatal/infantile-onset Canavan disease often become irritable and experience sleep disturbance, seizures, and feeding difficulties. Swallowing deteriorates, and some children require nasogastric feeding or permanent feeding gastrostomies. Joint stiffness increases, so that these children resemble individuals with cerebral palsy. Children with mild/juvenile Canavan disease may have normal or mildly delayed speech or motor development early in life without regression. In spite of developmental delay most of these children can be educated in typical classroom settings and may benefit from speech therapy or tutoring as needed. Most children with mild forms of Canavan disease have normal head size, although macrocephaly, retinitis pigmentosa, and seizures have been reported in a few individuals.

PAFAH1B1-related lissencephaly/subcortical band heterotopia (SBH) comprises a spectrum of severity. Affected newborns typically have mild-to-moderate hypotonia, feeding difficulties, and poor head control. During the first years, neurologic examination typically demonstrates poor visual tracking and response to sounds, axial hypotonia, and mild distal spasticity that can transition over time to more severe spasticity. Seizures occur in more than 90% of individuals with lissencephaly and often include infantile spasms. Seizures are often drug resistant, but even with good seizure control, the best developmental level achieved (excluding the few individuals with partial lissencephaly) is the equivalent of about age three to five months. In individuals with PAFAH1B1-related lissencephaly/SBH, developmental delay ranges from mild to severe. Other findings in PAFAH1B1-related lissencephaly/SBH include feeding issues and aspiration (which may result in need for gastrostomy tube placement), progressive microcephaly, and occasional developmental regression.

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDGs) are divided into 2 main groups: type I CDGs (see, e.g., 212065) comprise defects in the assembly of the dolichol lipid-linked oligosaccharide (LLO) chain and its transfer to the nascent protein, whereas type II CDGs (see, e.g., 212066) refer to defects in the trimming and processing of the protein-bound glycans either late in the endoplasmic reticulum or the Golgi compartments. Conventionally, untyped and unclassified cases are labeled 'CDG-x' (Orlean, 2000; Marquardt and Denecke, 2003). The phenotypes described in this entry most likely do not represent a single disorder, but have been referred by the authors as CDG-x and are included here pending further molecular characterization. In a review of CDGs, Marquardt and Denecke (2003) stated that more than 20% of CDG patients identified still cannot be ascribed to a known enzyme defect and are thus named CDG-x.

Congenital disorder of glycosylation type Ii (CDG1I) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by neurologic involvement, including a convulsive syndrome of unknown origin, axial hypotonia, and mental and motor regression (summary by Papazoglu et al., 2021). For a general discussion of CDGs, see CDG1A (212065).

The constitutional deletion of chromosome 1p36 results in a syndrome with multiple congenital anomalies and mental retardation (Shapira et al., 1997). Monosomy 1p36 is the most common terminal deletion syndrome in humans, occurring in 1 in 5,000 births (Shaffer and Lupski, 2000; Heilstedt et al., 2003). See also neurodevelopmental disorder with or without anomalies of the brain, eye, or heart (NEDBEH; 616975), which shows overlapping features and is caused by heterozygous mutation in the RERE gene (605226) on proximal chromosome 1p36. See also Radio-Tartaglia syndrome (RATARS; 619312), caused by mutation in the SPEN gene (613484) on chromosome 1p36, which shows overlapping features.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) involves abnormalities of the skin (hypomelanotic macules, confetti skin lesions, facial angiofibromas, shagreen patches, fibrous cephalic plaques, ungual fibromas); brain (subependymal nodules, cortical tubers, and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas [SEGAs], seizures, intellectual disability / developmental delay, psychiatric illness); kidney (angiomyolipomas, cysts, renal cell carcinomas); heart (rhabdomyomas, arrhythmias); and lungs (lymphangioleiomyomatosis [LAM], multifocal micronodular pneumonocyte hyperplasia). Central nervous system tumors are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality; renal disease is the second leading cause of early death.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) involves abnormalities of the skin (hypomelanotic macules, confetti skin lesions, facial angiofibromas, shagreen patches, fibrous cephalic plaques, ungual fibromas); brain (subependymal nodules, cortical tubers, and subependymal giant cell astrocytomas [SEGAs], seizures, intellectual disability / developmental delay, psychiatric illness); kidney (angiomyolipomas, cysts, renal cell carcinomas); heart (rhabdomyomas, arrhythmias); and lungs (lymphangioleiomyomatosis [LAM], multifocal micronodular pneumonocyte hyperplasia). Central nervous system tumors are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality; renal disease is the second leading cause of early death.

STXBP1 encephalopathy with epilepsy is characterized by early-onset encephalopathy with epilepsy (i.e., moderate-to-severe intellectual disability, refractory seizures, and ongoing epileptiform activity). The median age of onset of seizures is six weeks (range 1 day to 13 years). Seizure types can include infantile spasms; generalized tonic-clonic, clonic, or tonic seizures; and myoclonic, focal, atonic, and absence seizures. Epilepsy syndromes can include Ohtahara syndrome, West syndrome, Lennox-Gaustaut syndrome, and Dravet syndrome (not SCN1A-related), classic Rett syndrome (not MECP2-related), and atypical Rett syndrome (not CDKL5-related). The EEG is characterized by focal epileptic activity, burst suppression, hypsarrhythmia, or generalized spike-and-slow waves. Other findings can include abnormal tone, movement disorders (especially ataxia and dystonia), and behavior disorders (including autism spectrum disorder). Feeding difficulties are common.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-12 (DEE12) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by onset of refractory seizures in the first year of life. Affected infants may have normal or mildly delayed development before the onset of seizures, but thereafter show severe developmental regression and stagnation. Seizure types vary: focal seizures, infantile spasms, and generalized tonic-clonic seizures may occur, even within the same patient. EEG may show hypsarrhythmia, consistent with West syndrome, or a pattern consistent with 'malignant migrating partial seizures in infancy' (MMPSI). Patients have little or no developmental progress: there is absent speech, hypotonia, poor motor skills, peripheral spasticity, and impaired visual fixation (summary by Kurian et al., 2010 and Poduri et al., 2012). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, see 308350.

GRIN1-related neurodevelopmental disorder (GRIN1-NDD) is characterized by mild-to-profound developmental delay / intellectual disability (DD/ID) in all affected individuals. Other common manifestations are epilepsy, muscular hypotonia, movement disorders, spasticity, feeding difficulties, and behavior problems. A subset of individuals show a malformation of cortical development consisting of extensive and diffuse bilateral polymicrogyria. To date, 72 individuals with GRIN1-NDD have been reported.

SCN8A-related epilepsy with encephalopathy is characterized by developmental delay, seizure onset in the first 18 months of life (mean 4 months), and intractable epilepsy characterized by multiple seizure types (generalized tonic-clonic seizures, infantile spasms, and absence and focal seizures). Epilepsy syndromes can include Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, West syndrome, and epileptic encephalopathies (e.g., Dravet syndrome). Hypotonia and movement disorders including dystonia, ataxia, and choreoathetosis are common. Psychomotor development varies from normal prior to seizure onset (with subsequent slowing or regression after seizure onset) to abnormal from birth. Intellectual disability, present in all, ranges from mild to severe (in ~50% of affected individuals). Autistic features are noted in some. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) of unknown cause has been reported in approximately 10% of published cases. To date SCN8A-related epilepsy with encephalopathy has been reported in the literature in about 50 individuals.

Congenital disorder of glycosylation type IIm, or developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-22 (DEE22), is an X-linked dominant severe neurologic disorder characterized by infantile-onset seizures, hypsarrhythmia on EEG, hypotonia, and developmental delay associated with severe intellectual disability and lack of speech. These features are consistent with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE). Brain malformations usually include cerebral and cerebellar atrophy. Additionally, some patients may have dysmorphic features or coarse facies (Ng et al., 2013; Kodera et al., 2013). For a general discussion of CDGs, see CDG1A (212065) and CDG2A (212066). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

GRIN2B-related neurodevelopmental disorder is characterized by mild to profound developmental delay / intellectual disability (DD/ID) in all affected individuals. Muscle tone abnormalities (spasticity and/or hypotonia, occasionally associated with feeding difficulties), as well as epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) / behavioral issues, are common. Other infantile- or childhood-onset findings include microcephaly; dystonic, dyskinetic, or choreiform movement disorder; and/or cortical visual impairment. Brain MRI reveals a malformation of cortical development in a minority of affected individuals. To date, fewer than 100 individuals with GRIN2B-related neurodevelopmental disorder have been reported.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-33 (DEE33) is a neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of various types of seizures in the first months of life. Affected individuals show severe global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development and poor or absent speech (summary by de Ligt et al., 2012). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-31A (DEE31A) is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized by the global developmental delay apparent in early infancy. Most individuals have onset of various types of refractory seizures in the first months or years of life, which exacerbates the psychomotor deficits. Patients have hypotonia and profound intellectual disability with absent speech and inability to walk or ataxic gait. Some patients may have additional features, including dysmorphic features or cortical visual impairment (summary by the EuroEPINOMICS-RES Consortium et al., 2014 and Deciphering Developmental Disorders Study, 2015). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

PEBAT is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severely delayed psychomotor development apparent soon after birth or in infancy, profound intellectual disability, poor or absent speech, and seizures. Most patients are never able to walk due to hypotonia or spasticity. Brain imaging shows cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, thin corpus callosum, and secondary hypomyelination. The disorder shows progressive features, including microcephaly, consistent with a neurodegenerative process (summary by Miyake et al., 2016; Flex et al., 2016).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-41 (DEE41) is a neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of seizures in the first days or weeks of life. Affected infants show severely impaired psychomotor development with hypotonia, spasticity, lack of speech, poor visual fixation, feeding difficulties sometimes necessitating tube feeding, poor overall growth and microcephaly, and contractures. Brain imaging may show delayed myelination, thin corpus callosum, and cerebral atrophy (summary by the EPI4K Consortium, 2016). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Encephalopathy due to defective mitochondrial and peroxisomal fission-2 (EMPF2) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by delayed psychomotor development, severe hypotonia with inability to walk, microcephaly, and abnormal signals in the basal ganglia. More variable features include early-onset seizures, optic atrophy, and peripheral neuropathy (summary by Koch et al., 2016). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of EMPF, see EMPF1 (614388).

Any autosomal dominant non-syndromic intellectual disability in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the TBL1XR1 gene.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-51 (DEE51) is an autosomal recessive severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by onset of intractable seizures and hypotonia in the first days or weeks of life. Affected individuals have severely delayed psychomotor development and may show abnormal movements. Brain imaging shows nonspecific abnormalities, such as cerebral atrophy, cerebellar atrophy, and delayed myelination. Laboratory studies showed increased lactate, suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction (summary by Ait-El-Mkadem et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-53 (DEE53) is a severe autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by onset of intractable seizures in infancy. Affected individuals show hypotonia and very poor or absent global development, resulting in severe intellectual disability and spastic quadriplegia. Some patients may die in childhood (summary by Hardies et al., 2016). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

3-Methylglutaconic aciduria type IX (MGCA9) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset seizures, severely delayed psychomotor development and intellectual disability. Patients have hypotonia or spasticity, and laboratory investigations show increased serum lactate and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, suggestive of a mitochondrial defect (summary by Shahrour et al., 2017). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, see MGCA type I (250950).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-91 (DEE91) is characterized by delayed psychomotor development apparent in infancy and resulting in severely to profoundly impaired intellectual development with poor or absent speech. Most patients never achieve independent walking. Patients typically have onset of refractory multifocal seizures between the first weeks and years of life, and some may show developmental regression. Additional features, such as hypotonia and cortical visual impairment, are more variable (summary by Myers et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-57 (DEE57) is a neurologic disorder characterized by global developmental delay with hypotonia, variably impaired intellectual development, and poor or absent language. Affected individuals have onset of refractory multifocal seizures in the first days or months of life, and may show developmental regression. EEG patterns include hypsarrhythmia, suggesting a clinical diagnosis of West syndrome, background slowing, and epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS). Some patients may have mild dysmorphic features (summary by Ambrosino et al., 2018 and Mao et al., 2020). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-60 (DEE60) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of infantile spasms, seizures, or myoclonus in the first months of life. EEG typically shows hypsarrhythmia, consistent with a clinical diagnosis of West syndrome. Affected individuals have severe global developmental delay with inability to sit, walk, or speak. Brain imaging may show brain atrophy and hippocampal malrotation (summary by Mutoh et al., 2018). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-63 (DEE63) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by early-onset refractory infantile spasms and myoclonic seizures in the first months to years of life. Affected individuals have severe to profound developmental delay, often with hypotonia and inability to sit or speak (summary by Redler et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-70 (DEE70) is neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of epileptic spasms or seizures in the first months of life. EEG may show hypsarrhythmia, consistent with a clinical diagnosis of West syndrome. Affected individuals show severely delayed psychomotor development with impaired or absent walking and language skills; intellectual impairment ranges from moderate to severe (summary by Hamada et al., 2018). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with seizures and nonepileptic hyperkinetic movements (NEDNEH) is an autosomal recessive severe neurologic disorder characterized by delayed psychomotor development with inability to walk or speak, early-onset refractory seizures, and nonepileptic hyperkinetic movement disorders, including myoclonus dystonia and dyskinesias. Patients require tube feeding and may die of respiratory failure in childhood or in the second decade (summary by Gorman et al., 2019).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-84 (DEE84) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by onset of refractory seizures in the first months or years of life. Affected individuals have severely impaired global development with impaired intellectual development, absent speech, and inability to walk. Other features include axial hypotonia, peripheral spasticity, feeding difficulties that sometimes necessitate tube feeding, and mild dysmorphic facial features. Brain imaging may show nonspecific findings such as cerebral/cerebellar atrophy and/or hypomyelination. The severity of the disorder is variable (summary by Hengel et al., 2020). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Mitochondrial complex IV deficiency nuclear type 16 (MC4DN16) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder with highly variable manifestations. Common features include failure to thrive with poor overall growth, short stature, and microcephaly. Some patients additionally have neurologic involvement, including developmental regression with severe hypotonia, feeding difficulties, and seizures. Brain imaging in the more severely affected patients shows cerebral and cerebellar atrophy and abnormal lesions in the basal ganglia. In all cases, patient tissues show variably decreased levels and activity of mitochondrial respiratory complex IV (summary by Pillai et al., 2019). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of mitochondrial complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) deficiency, see 220110.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-89 (DEE89) is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by profound global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development, absent speech, inability to sit or walk due to axial hypotonia and spastic quadriparesis, and onset of seizures in the first days or months of life. EEG shows suppression-burst pattern or hypsarrhythmia, consistent with DEE or a clinical diagnosis of West syndrome. More variable features include joint contractures with foot deformities, dysmorphic facial features with cleft palate, and omphalocele. Affected individuals have poor motor skills, poor eye contact, and lack of language development; some die in infancy or early childhood. Brain imaging may be normal or show nonspecific abnormalities (summary by Chatron et al., 2020).

SCN1A seizure disorders encompass a spectrum that ranges from simple febrile seizures and generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) at the mild end to Dravet syndrome and intractable childhood epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizures (ICE-GTC) at the severe end. Phenotypes with intractable seizures including Dravet syndrome are often associated with cognitive decline. Less commonly observed phenotypes include myoclonic astatic epilepsy (MAE), Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, infantile spasms, epilepsy with focal seizures, and vaccine-related encephalopathy and seizures. The phenotype of SCN1A seizure disorders can vary even within the same family.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-96 (DEE96) is characterized by onset of seizures in the first days or weeks of life. Affected infants have tonic or myoclonic seizures associated with burst-suppression pattern on EEG. They also have hypotonia with respiratory insufficiency that may result in premature death. Those that survive have profound developmental delay and persistent seizures (summary by Suzuki et al., 2019). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with infantile epileptic spasms (NEDIES) is characterized by onset of severe and frequent epileptic spasms within the first year of life. Affected individuals have global developmental delay with delayed walking and poor or absent speech. More variable features may include poor overall growth, high-arched palate, and delayed myelination on brain imaging (summary by Fatima et al., 2021).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-97 (DEE97) is characterized by developmental delay, epileptic encephalopathy, and impaired intellectual development. Other clinical features may include autistic features and hypotonia. For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with impaired language and ataxia and with or without seizures (NEDLAS) is characterized by axial hypotonia and global developmental delay apparent in early infancy. Affected individuals have delayed walking with gait ataxia and poor language development. Behavioral abnormalities also commonly occur. The severity is highly variable: a subset of patients have a more severe phenotype with early-onset seizures resembling epileptic encephalopathy, inability to walk or speak, and hypomyelination on brain imaging (summary by Stolz et al., 2021).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-99 (DEE99) is characterized by onset of seizures in early childhood associated with global developmental delay and severely impaired intellectual development. Other features may include hypotonia, quadriparesis, nystagmus, and apnea. Brain imaging may be normal or show nonspecific and variable abnormalities, including cerebral atrophy and polymicrogyria. The severity is variable; some patients die of refractory status epilepticus (summary by Vetro et al., 2021). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

A rare genetic neurological disorder with characteristics of early-onset severe global developmental delay with regression, congenital or acquired microcephaly, hearing loss, truncal hypotonia, appendicular spasticity, and dystonia and/or myoclonus. Additional reported manifestations include seizures, optic atrophy, cortical visual impairment, scoliosis, and dysphagia. Brain imaging shows pontine hypoplasia, partial agenesis of the corpus callosum, and diffuse cerebral atrophy with relative sparing of the cerebellum.

Dentici-Novelli neurodevelopmental syndrome (DENNED) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development apparent from infancy. The severity of the phenotype is highly variable: more severely affected individuals have axial hypotonia, peripheral spasticity, microcephaly, early-onset seizures, brain imaging abnormalities, and are unable to walk or speak. Those with a less severe phenotype may achieve some developmental goals and show less severe intellectual disability (Dentici et al., 2022).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-103 (DEE103) is characterized by onset of various types of seizures in the first year of life, most of which are refractory to treatment. Affected individuals show global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development ranging from mild to severe. Additional features may include hypotonia, ataxia, and behavioral abnormalities, including autism and hyperactivity (Schwarz et al., 2022). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

X-linked epilepsy-2 with or without impaired intellectual development and dysmorphic features (EPILX2) is a neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of seizures usually in the first years of life, although later onset may also occur. Most individuals also have developmental delay, speech delay, and intellectual disability or learning difficulties. Some patients have dysmorphic facial features or mild skeletal anomalies. The severity of the disorder and accompanying features are highly variable, even within the same family. In general, males are more severely affected than females, although there is evidence for incomplete penetrance in both sexes (Niturad et al., 2017).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-104 (DEE104) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by developmental delay in the first few months of life and drug-resistant focal and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (summary by Bott et al., 2021). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with epilepsy and brain atrophy (NEDEBA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset progressive myoclonus epilepsy with ataxia (summary by Bott et al., 2021).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with seizures, microcephaly, and brain abnormalities (NEDSMBA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a core phenotype of moderate to profound developmental delay, progressive microcephaly, epilepsy, and periventricular calcifications (summary by Rosenhahn et al., 2022).