GRIN2A-related speech disorders and epilepsy are characterized by speech disorders in all affected individuals and a range of epilepsy syndromes present in about 90%. Severe speech disorders observed can include dysarthria and speech dyspraxia, and both receptive and expressive language delay/regression; more mildly affected individuals may display subtly impaired intelligibility of conversational speech. Epilepsy features include seizure onset usually between ages three and six years, focal epilepsy with language and/or global developmental regression, and electroencephalogram (EEG) showing continuous spike-and-wave discharges in sleep or very active centrotemporal discharges. Seizure types include seizures associated with aura of perioral paresthesia, focal or focal motor seizures (often evolving to generalized tonic-clonic), and atypical absence seizures. Epilepsy syndromes can include: Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS), epileptic encephalopathy with continuous spike-and-wave during sleep (ECSWS), childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (CECTS), atypical childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (ACECTS), autosomal dominant rolandic epilepsy with speech dyspraxia (ADRESD), and infantile-onset epileptic encephalopathy.

A rare genetic multiple congenital anomalies/dysmorphic syndrome with characteristics of congenital microcephaly with facial dysmorphism (sloping forehead, prominent nose, mild retrognathia), moderate to severe, non-progressive intellectual disability and symmetrical digital malformations of variable degree, including brachydactyly of the fifth fingers with single flexion crease, clinodactyly, syndactyly, polydactyly and hallux valgus. Congenital anonychia and white cafe au lait-like spots on the skin of hands and feet are also associated. There is evidence this disease is caused by homozygous mutation in the RBBP8 gene on chromosome 18q11.2.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) encompasses a spectrum of findings from mild to severe. Severe (classic) CdLS is characterized by distinctive facial features, growth restriction (prenatal onset; <5th centile throughout life), hypertrichosis, and upper-limb reduction defects that range from subtle phalangeal abnormalities to oligodactyly (missing digits). Craniofacial features include synophrys, highly arched and/or thick eyebrows, long eyelashes, short nasal bridge with anteverted nares, small widely spaced teeth, and microcephaly. Individuals with a milder phenotype have less severe growth, cognitive, and limb involvement, but often have facial features consistent with CdLS. Across the CdLS spectrum IQ ranges from below 30 to 102 (mean: 53). Many individuals demonstrate autistic and self-destructive tendencies. Other frequent findings include cardiac septal defects, gastrointestinal dysfunction, hearing loss, myopia, and cryptorchidism or hypoplastic genitalia.

MCPH causes intellectual disability, which is typically mild to moderate and does not become more severe with age. Most affected individuals have delayed speech and language skills. Motor skills, such as sitting, standing, and walking, may also be mildly delayed.\n\nPeople with MCPH usually have few or no other features associated with the condition. Some have a narrow, sloping forehead; mild seizures; problems with attention or behavior; or short stature compared to others in their family. The condition typically does not affect any other major organ systems or cause other health problems.\n\nInfants with MCPH have an unusually small head circumference compared to other infants of the same sex and age. Head circumference is the distance around the widest part of the head, measured by placing a measuring tape above the eyebrows and ears and around the back of the head. Affected infants' brain volume is also smaller than usual, although they usually do not have any major abnormalities in the structure of the brain. The head and brain grow throughout childhood and adolescence, but they continue to be much smaller than normal.\n\nAutosomal recessive primary microcephaly (often shortened to MCPH, which stands for "microcephaly primary hereditary") is a condition in which infants are born with a very small head and a small brain. The term "microcephaly" comes from the Greek words for "small head."

Primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a clinical diagnosis made when an individual has a head circumference more than 3 standard deviations below the age- and sex-matched population mean and mental retardation, with no other associated malformations and with no apparent etiology. Most cases of primary microcephaly show an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance (summary by Woods et al., 2005). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of primary microcephaly, see MCPH1 (251200).

Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase deficiency is an autosomal recessive inborn error of L-serine biosynthesis that is characterized by congenital microcephaly, psychomotor retardation, and seizures (summary by Jaeken et al., 1996).

Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (often shortened to MCPH, which stands for "microcephaly primary hereditary") is a condition in which infants are born with a very small head and a small brain. The term "microcephaly" comes from the Greek words for "small head."\n\nInfants with MCPH have an unusually small head circumference compared to other infants of the same sex and age. Head circumference is the distance around the widest part of the head, measured by placing a measuring tape above the eyebrows and ears and around the back of the head. Affected infants' brain volume is also smaller than usual, although they usually do not have any major abnormalities in the structure of the brain. The head and brain grow throughout childhood and adolescence, but they continue to be much smaller than normal.\n\nPeople with MCPH usually have few or no other features associated with the condition. Some have a narrow, sloping forehead; mild seizures; problems with attention or behavior; or short stature compared to others in their family. The condition typically does not affect any other major organ systems or cause other health problems.\n\nMCPH causes intellectual disability, which is typically mild to moderate and does not become more severe with age. Most affected individuals have delayed speech and language skills. Motor skills, such as sitting, standing, and walking, may also be mildly delayed.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-39 with leukodystrophy (DEE39) is an autosomal recessive neurologic syndrome characterized clinically by global developmental delay apparent in early infancy, early-onset seizures, hypotonia with poor motor function, and hypomyelination on brain imaging. Other features include absent speech and inability to walk; spasticity and hyperreflexia has also been reported. Although there is significant hypomyelination on brain imaging, the disorder was not classified as a primary leukodystrophy. The myelination defect was thought to stem from primary neuronal dysfunction due to impaired mitochondrial transport activity (summary by Wibom et al., 2009 and Falk et al., 2014). However, serial brain imaging in a patient with DEE39 by Kavanaugh et al. (2019) suggested that the mechanism of disease is consistent with a leukoaxonopathy type of leukodystrophy. For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

The cardinal features of chromosome 6q11-q14 interstitial deletions include hypotonia, short stature, skeletal/limb anomalies, umbilical hernia, and urinary tract anomalies, as well as characteristic facial features including upslanting palpebral fissures, low-set and/or dysplastic ears, and high-arched palate (summary by Wang et al., 2009).

Lissencephaly-4 (LIS4) is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by lissencephaly, severe brain atrophy, extreme microcephaly (head circumference of more than 10 standard deviations (SD) below the mean), and profound mental retardation. It has also been referred to as 'microlissencephaly' (summary by Bakircioglu et al., 2011 and Alkuraya et al., 2011). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of lissencephaly, see LIS1 (607432).

Any Seckel syndrome in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the CEP63 gene.

CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental disorder (CTNNB1-NDD) is characterized in all individuals by mild-to-profound cognitive impairment and in up to 39% of reported individuals by exudative vitreoretinopathy, an ophthalmologic finding consistent with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR). Other common findings include truncal hypotonia, peripheral spasticity, dystonia, behavior problems, microcephaly, and refractive errors and strabismus. Less common features include intrauterine growth restriction, feeding difficulties, and scoliosis.

Primary microcephaly-10 (MCPH10) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by extremely small head size (-9 SD) at birth and death usually by 1 year of age. Neuropathologic examination shows severe loss of neurons as well as neuronal loss of polarity and abnormal dendritic maturation (summary by Yang et al., 2012). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of primary microcephaly, see MCPH1 (251200).

Most characteristically, Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) manifests as an early-onset encephalopathy that usually, but not always, results in severe intellectual and physical disability. A subgroup of infants with AGS present at birth with abnormal neurologic findings, hepatosplenomegaly, elevated liver enzymes, and thrombocytopenia, a picture highly suggestive of congenital infection. Otherwise, most affected infants present at variable times after the first few weeks of life, frequently after a period of apparently normal development. Typically, they demonstrate the subacute onset of a severe encephalopathy characterized by extreme irritability, intermittent sterile pyrexias, loss of skills, and slowing of head growth. Over time, as many as 40% develop chilblain skin lesions on the fingers, toes, and ears. It is becoming apparent that atypical, sometimes milder, cases of AGS exist, and thus the true extent of the phenotype associated with pathogenic variants in the AGS-related genes is not yet known.

Any complex cortical dysplasia with other brain malformations in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the TUBB gene.

Any autosomal recessive primary microcephaly in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the CENPE gene.

A rare genetic neurological disorder with characteristics of congenital microcephaly, severe intellectual disability, hypertonia at birth lessening with age, ataxia and specific dysmorphic facial features including hirsutism, low anterior hairline and bitemporal narrowing arched thick and medially sparse eyebrows, long eyelashes, lateral upper eyelids swelling and a skin fold partially covering the inferior eyelids, low-set posteriorly rotated protruding ears, anteverted nares and a full lower lip. Brain imaging shows partial to almost complete agenesis of the corpus callosum and variable degrees of cerebellar hypoplasia. Caused by homozygous mutation in the FRMD4A gene on chromosome 10p13.

Arboleda-Tham syndrome (ARTHS) is an autosomal dominant disorder with the core features of impaired intellectual development, speech delay, microcephaly, cardiac anomalies, and gastrointestinal complications (summary by Kennedy et al., 2019).

Galloway-Mowat syndrome is a renal-neurologic disease characterized by early-onset nephrotic syndrome associated with microcephaly, gyral abnormalities, and delayed psychomotor development. Most patients have dysmorphic facial features, often including hypertelorism and ear abnormalities. Other features, such as arachnodactyly and visual or hearing impairment, are more variable. Most patients die in the first years of life (summary by Braun et al., 2017). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GAMOS, see GAMOS1 (251300).

Any Neu-Laxova syndrome in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the PHGDH gene.

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis defect-17 (GPIBD17) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by variable neurologic deficits that become apparent in infancy or early childhood. Patients may present with early-onset febrile or afebrile seizures that tend to be mild or controllable. Other features may include learning disabilities, autism, behavioral abnormalities, hypotonia, and motor deficits. The phenotype is relatively mild compared to that of other GPIBDs (summary by Nguyen et al., 2018). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GPI biosynthesis defects, see GPIBD1 (610293).

Sandestig-Stefanova syndrome (SANDSTEF) is an autosomal recessive developmental syndrome characterized by pre- and postnatal microcephaly, trigonocephaly, congenital cataract, microphthalmia, facial gestalt, camptodactyly, loss of periventricular white matter, thin corpus callosum, delayed myelinization, and poor prognosis (Sandestig et al., 2019).

Nabais Sa-de Vries syndrome type 1 (NSDVS1) is characterized by global developmental delay apparent from infancy, variable behavioral abnormalities, microcephaly, and dysmorphic facial features, including round face, small palpebral fissures, highly arched eyebrows, and short nose. The severity is variable (summary by Nabais Sa et al., 2020).

Autosomal dominant primary microcephaly-27 (MCPH27) is characterized by small head circumference apparent in early childhood and associated with global developmental delay manifest as delayed walking, inability to walk, impaired intellectual development, and poor or absent speech. Most patients have variable and nonspecific additional features, including facial dysmorphism, hypotonia, limb hypertonia, poor feeding, and distal skeletal anomalies. Brain imaging may show enlarged ventricles or gyral abnormalities, but most have normal imaging (Parry et al., 2021). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of primary microcephaly, see MCPH1 (251200).

CIMDAG syndrome (CIMDAG) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by severely impaired psychomotor development and hematologic abnormalities apparent from early infancy. Affected individuals show poor overall growth with microcephaly, impaired intellectual development, poor or absent speech, poor eye contact, and motor problems, such as inability to walk, hypotonia, and spasticity. Brain imaging typically shows cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, thin corpus callosum, and delayed myelination. The associated hematologic abnormalities are variable, but are mostly consistent with congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) (summary by Rodger et al., 2020 and Seu et al., 2020).

KINSSHIP syndrome (KINS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a recognizable pattern of anomalies including developmental delay, impaired intellectual development, seizures, mesomelic dysplasia, dysmorphic facial features, horseshoe or hypoplastic kidney, and failure to thrive (summary by Voisin et al., 2021).

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.

Faundes-Banka syndrome (FABAS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by variable combinations of developmental delay and microcephaly, as well as micrognathia and other dysmorphic features (Faundes et al., 2021).

Luo-Schoch-Yamamoto syndrome (LUSYAM) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by global developmental delay and impaired intellectual development apparent from infancy. Affected individuals have delayed walking, early-onset seizures, hypotonia, dysmorphic facial features, and white matter abnormalities on brain imaging (Luo et al., 2021).

Galloway-Mowat syndrome-10 (GAMOS10) is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by onset of symptoms soon after birth. Affected individuals have progressive renal dysfunction with proteinuria associated with diffuse mesangial sclerosis (DMS) on renal biopsy. Other features include global developmental delay, microcephaly, hypothyroidism, arachnodactyly, and dysmorphic facial features. Some patients may have seizures or abnormalities on brain imaging. All reported patients have died in infancy (summary by Arrondel et al., 2019 and Schmidt et al., 2021). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GAMOS, see GAMOS1 (251300).

Childhood-onset neurodegeneration with progressive microcephaly (CONPM) is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by global developmental delay apparent from infancy. The phenotype is highly variable: the most severely affected individuals have severe and progressive microcephaly, early-onset seizures, lack of visual tracking, and almost no developmental milestones, resulting in early death. Less severely affected individuals have a small head circumference and severely impaired intellectual development with poor speech and motor delay. Additional features may include poor overall growth, axial hypotonia, limb hypertonia with spasticity, undescended testes, and cerebral atrophy with neuronal loss (Lam et al., 2019 and Vanoevelen et al., 2022).