A progressive chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system with the aetiologic agent Human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), the disease is characterised by unremitting myelopathic symptoms such as spastic paraparesis, bowel and/or bladder dysfunction and sensory changes of the lower limbs.

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is an autosomal recessive, early childhood-onset disorder characterized by ichthyosis, impaired intellectual development, spastic paraparesis, macular dystrophy, and leukoencephalopathy. It is caused by deficiency of fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (summary by Lossos et al., 2006).

Gaucher disease (GD) encompasses a continuum of clinical findings from a perinatal lethal disorder to an asymptomatic type. The identification of three major clinical types (1, 2, and 3) and two other subtypes (perinatal-lethal and cardiovascular) is useful in determining prognosis and management. GD type 1 is characterized by the presence of clinical or radiographic evidence of bone disease (osteopenia, focal lytic or sclerotic lesions, and osteonecrosis), hepatosplenomegaly, anemia and thrombocytopenia, lung disease, and the absence of primary central nervous system disease. GD types 2 and 3 are characterized by the presence of primary neurologic disease; in the past, they were distinguished by age of onset and rate of disease progression, but these distinctions are not absolute. Disease with onset before age two years, limited psychomotor development, and a rapidly progressive course with death by age two to four years is classified as GD type 2. Individuals with GD type 3 may have onset before age two years, but often have a more slowly progressive course, with survival into the third or fourth decade. The perinatal-lethal form is associated with ichthyosiform or collodion skin abnormalities or with nonimmune hydrops fetalis. The cardiovascular form is characterized by calcification of the aortic and mitral valves, mild splenomegaly, corneal opacities, and supranuclear ophthalmoplegia. Cardiopulmonary complications have been described with all the clinical subtypes, although varying in frequency and severity.

Hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinuria (HHH) syndrome is a disorder of the urea cycle and ornithine degradation pathway. Clinical manifestations and age of onset vary among individuals even in the same family. Neonatal onset (~8% of affected individuals). Manifestations of hyperammonemia usually begin 24-48 hours after feeding begins and can include lethargy, somnolence, refusal to feed, vomiting, tachypnea with respiratory alkalosis, and/or seizures. Infantile, childhood, and adult onset (~92%). Affected individuals may present with: Chronic neurocognitive deficits (including developmental delay, ataxia, spasticity, learning disabilities, cognitive deficits, and/or unexplained seizures); Acute encephalopathy secondary to hyperammonemic crisis precipitated by a variety of factors; and Chronic liver dysfunction (unexplained elevation of liver transaminases with or without mild coagulopathy, with or without mild hyperammonemia and protein intolerance). Neurologic findings and cognitive abilities can continue to deteriorate despite early metabolic control that prevents hyperammonemia.

Arginase deficiency in untreated individuals is characterized by episodic hyperammonemia of variable degree that is infrequently severe enough to be life threatening or to cause death. Most commonly, birth and early childhood are normal. Untreated individuals have slowing of linear growth at age one to three years, followed by development of spasticity, plateauing of cognitive development, and subsequent loss of developmental milestones. If untreated, arginase deficiency usually progresses to severe spasticity, loss of ambulation, complete loss of bowel and bladder control, and severe intellectual disability. Seizures are common and are usually controlled easily. Individuals treated from birth, either as a result of newborn screening or having an affected older sib, appear to have minimal symptoms.

Troyer syndrome is characterized by progressive spastic paraparesis, dysarthria, pseudobulbar palsy, distal amyotrophy, short stature, and subtle skeletal abnormalities. Most affected children exhibit delays in walking and speech and difficulty in managing oral secretions, followed by increased lower-limb spasticity and slow deterioration in both gait and speech. Mild cerebellar signs are common. The most severely affected individuals have choreoathetosis. Emotional lability / difficulty in controlling emotions and affective disorders, such as inappropriate euphoria and/or crying, are frequently described. Life expectancy is normal.

A chronic adhesive arachnoiditis in the spinal arachnoid, with root and spinal cord symptoms similar to those caused by pressure from a tumor.

PCWH syndrome is a complex neurocristopathy that includes features of 4 distinct syndromes: peripheral demyelinating neuropathy (see 118200), central dysmyelination, Waardenburg syndrome, and Hirschsprung disease (see 142623) (Inoue et al., 2004). Inoue et al. (2004) proposed the acronym PCWH for this disorder.

Pelizaeus-Merzbacher-like disease 1 (PMLD1) is a slowly progressive leukodystrophy that typically presents during the neonatal or early-infantile period with nystagmus, commonly associated with hypotonia, delayed acquisition of motor milestones, speech delay, and dysarthria. Over time the hypotonia typically evolves into spasticity that affects the ability to walk and communicate. Cerebellar signs (gait ataxia, dysmetria, intention tremor, head titubation, and dysdiadochokinesia) frequently manifest during childhood. Some individuals develop extrapyramidal movement abnormalities (choreoathetosis and dystonia). Hearing loss and optic atrophy are observed in rare cases. Motor impairments can lead to swallowing difficulty and orthopedic complications, including hip dislocation and scoliosis. Most individuals have normal cognitive skills or mild intellectual disability – which, however, can be difficult to evaluate in the context of profound motor impairment.

Oculofaciocardiodental (OFCD) syndrome is a condition that affects the development of the eyes (oculo-), facial features (facio-), heart (cardio-) and teeth (dental). This condition occurs only in females.\n\nThe eye abnormalities associated with OFCD syndrome can affect one or both eyes. Many people with this condition are born with eyeballs that are abnormally small (microphthalmia). Other eye problems can include clouding of the lens (cataract) and a higher risk of glaucoma, an eye disease that increases the pressure in the eye. These abnormalities can lead to vision loss or blindness.\n\nPeople with OFCD syndrome often have a long, narrow face with distinctive facial features, including deep-set eyes and a broad nasal tip that is divided by a cleft. Some affected people have an opening in the roof of the mouth called a cleft palate.\n\nHeart defects are another common feature of OFCD syndrome. Babies with this condition may be born with a hole between two chambers of the heart (an atrial or ventricular septal defect) or a leak in one of the valves that controls blood flow through the heart (mitral valve prolapse).\n\nTeeth with very large roots (radiculomegaly) are characteristic of OFCD syndrome. Additional dental abnormalities can include delayed loss of primary (baby) teeth, missing or abnormally small teeth, misaligned teeth, and defective tooth enamel.

Waardenburg syndrome type 4 (WS4), also known as Waardenburg-Shah syndrome, is an auditory-pigmentary syndrome characterized by pigmentary abnormalities of the hair, skin, and eyes, congenital sensorineural hearing loss, and Hirschsprung disease (reviews by Read and Newton, 1997 and Pingault et al., 2010). WS type 4A is caused by mutation in the EDNRB gene (131244). Clinical Variability of Waardenburg Syndrome Types 1-4 Waardenburg syndrome has been classified into 4 main phenotypes. Type I Waardenburg syndrome (WS1; 193500) is characterized by pigmentary abnormalities of the hair, including a white forelock and premature graying; pigmentary changes of the iris, such as heterochromia iridis and brilliant blue eyes; congenital sensorineural hearing loss; and 'dystopia canthorum.' WS type II (WS2) is distinguished from type I by the absence of dystopia canthorum. WS type III (WS3; 148820) has dystopia canthorum and is distinguished by the presence of upper limb abnormalities. WS type 4 has the additional feature of Hirschsprung disease (reviews by Read and Newton, 1997 and Pingault et al., 2010). Genetic Heterogeneity of Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4 Waardenburg syndrome type 4 is genetically heterogeneous. WS4B (613265) is caused by mutation in the EDN3 gene (131242) on chromosome 20q13, and WS4C (613266) is caused by mutation in the SOX10 gene (602229) on chromosome 22q13.

Autosomal recessive hypomyelinating leukodystrophy-3 (HLD3) is a severe neurologic disorder characterized by early infantile onset of global developmental delay, lack of development, lack of speech acquisition, and peripheral spasticity associated with decreased myelination in the central nervous system (summary by Feinstein et al., 2010). The disorder is phenotypically similar to X-linked Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD; 312080), which is caused by mutation in the PLP1 gene (300401). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of HLD, see 312080.

Mast syndrome (MASTS) is an autosomal recessive complicated form of hereditary spastic paraplegia in which progressive spastic paraparesis is associated in more advanced cases with cognitive decline, dementia, and other neurologic abnormalities. Symptom onset usually occurs in adulthood, and the disorder is progressive with variable severity. Brain imaging shows thinning of the corpus callosum. The disorder occurs with high frequency in the Old Order Amish (summary by Simpson et al., 2003). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia, see SPG5A (270800).

Hypermanganesemia with dystonia 1 (HMNDYT1) is characterized by the following: A movement disorder resulting from manganese accumulation in the basal ganglia. Whole-blood manganese concentrations that often exceed 2000 nmol/L (normal: <320 nmol/L). Polycythemia. Hepatomegaly with variable hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis. Neurologic findings can manifest in childhood (ages 2-15 years) as four-limb dystonia, leading to a characteristic high-stepping gait ("cock-walk gait"), dysarthria, fine tremor, and bradykinesia or on occasion spastic paraplegia; or in adulthood as parkinsonism (shuffling gait, rigidity, bradykinesia, hypomimia, and monotone speech) unresponsive to L-dopa treatment.

Hereditary transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis is characterized by a slowly progressive peripheral sensorimotor and/or autonomic neuropathy as well as non-neuropathic changes of cardiomyopathy, nephropathy, vitreous opacities, and CNS amyloidosis. The disease usually begins in the third to fifth decade in persons from endemic foci in Portugal and Japan; onset is later in persons from other areas. Typically, sensory neuropathy starts in the lower extremities with paresthesias and hypesthesias of the feet, followed within a few years by motor neuropathy. In some persons, particularly those with early-onset disease, autonomic neuropathy is the first manifestation of the condition; findings can include: orthostatic hypotension, constipation alternating with diarrhea, attacks of nausea and vomiting, delayed gastric emptying, sexual impotence, anhidrosis, and urinary retention or incontinence. Cardiac amyloidosis is mainly characterized by progressive cardiomyopathy. Individuals with leptomeningeal amyloidosis may have the following CNS findings: dementia, psychosis, visual impairment, headache, seizures, motor paresis, ataxia, myelopathy, hydrocephalus, or intracranial hemorrhage.

A chronic neurodegenerative disorder with features of spastic paraparesis (beginning at about 10 years of age) and hearing deficits. It has been described in affecting at least six male members spanning three generations of a large family. Some relatives presented with tremor, cataracts, sensory deficits, short stature, hypogonadism, elevated cerebrospinal fluid protein, and/or absent or prolonged somatosensory evoked potentials.

Spastic paraplegia-48 (SPG48) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by spasticity of the lower limbs resulting in gait difficulties. Most patients have onset in mid- or late-adulthood, although childhood onset has been reported in 1 patient. Additional features may include parkinsonism, urinary incontinence, neuropathy, and mild cognitive impairment (summary by Hirst et al., 2015). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive SPG, see SPG5A (270800).

A rare genetic autosomal recessive spastic ataxia disease with characteristics of the onset in early childhood of spastic paraparesis, cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria and optic atrophy. Caused by homozygous mutation in the MTPAP gene on chromosome 10p11.

Spastic ataxia-5 (SPAX5) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by early-onset spasticity resulting in significantly impaired ambulation, cerebellar ataxia, oculomotor apraxia, dystonia, and myoclonic epilepsy (summary by Pierson et al., 2011). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of spastic ataxia, see SPAX1 (108600).

Beta-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN) is typically characterized by early-onset seizures, infantile-onset developmental delay, intellectual disability, absent-to-limited expressive language, motor dysfunction (ataxia), and abnormal behaviors often similar to autism spectrum disorder. Seizure types including generalized (absence, tonic, atonic, tonic-clonic and myoclonic), focal with impaired consciousness, and epileptic spasms, as well as epileptic syndromes (West syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome) can be seen. With age seizures tend to resolve or become less prominent, whereas cognitive decline and movement disorders (progressive parkinsonism and dystonia) emerge as characteristic findings.

The overlapping phenotypes of neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy (NALD) and infantile Refsum disease (IRD) represent the milder manifestations of the Zellweger syndrome spectrum (ZSS) of peroxisome biogenesis disorders. The clinical course of patients with the NALD and IRD presentation is variable and may include developmental delay, hypotonia, liver dysfunction, sensorineural hearing loss, retinal dystrophy, and visual impairment. Children with the NALD presentation may reach their teens, and those with the IRD presentation may reach adulthood (summary by Waterham and Ebberink, 2012). For a complete phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PBD(NALD/IRD), see 601539. Individuals with mutations in the PEX16 gene have cells of complementation group 9 (CG9, equivalent to CGD). For information on the history of PBD complementation groups, see 214100.

Mitochondrial complex III deficiency nuclear type 2 is an autosomal recessive severe neurodegenerative disorder that usually presents in childhood, but may show later onset, even in adulthood. Affected individuals have motor disability, with ataxia, apraxia, dystonia, and dysarthria, associated with necrotic lesions throughout the brain. Most patients also have cognitive impairment and axonal neuropathy and become severely disabled later in life (summary by Ghezzi et al., 2011). The disorder may present clinically as spinocerebellar ataxia or Leigh syndrome, or with psychiatric disturbances (Morino et al., 2014; Atwal, 2014; Nogueira et al., 2013). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of mitochondrial complex III deficiency, see MC3DN1 (124000).

Spastic paraplegia-75 (SPG75) is an autosomal recessive, slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by onset of spastic paraplegia and cognitive impairment in childhood (summary by Lossos et al., 2015). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive SPG, see SPG5A (270800).

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation refers to a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive motor and cognitive dysfunction beginning in childhood or young adulthood. Patients show extrapyramidal motor signs, such as spasticity, dystonia, and parkinsonism. Brain imaging shows iron accumulation in the basal ganglia (summary by Dusi et al., 2014). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of NBIA, see NBIA1 (234200).

A very rare disease with characteristics of adult-onset unsteady gait and dysarthria, followed by wide-based gait, gait ataxia, ocular dysmetria, intention tremor, scanning speech, hyperreflexia and dysdiadochokinesis.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-82 (DEE82) is an autosomal recessive mitochondriopathy manifest as early-onset metabolic epileptic encephalopathy. Soon after birth, affected individuals exhibit hypotonia, feeding difficulties, and global developmental delay even before the onset of seizures in the first year of life. The severity is variable, but all patients have severely impaired intellectual development with absent speech and spastic tetraplegia. Other features include poor overall growth with microcephaly and recurrent infections. Brain imaging shows cerebral atrophy, thin corpus callosum, cerebellar hypoplasia, and white matter abnormalities. Laboratory studies show increased serum lactate and ammonia. Importantly, treatment with combined pyridoxine and serine can result in significant improvement in seizures as well as some mild developmental progress (summary by van Karnebeek et al., 2019). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Mitochondrial form of axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease-1 (CMTMA1) is inherited only through the maternal line. The disorder is characterized by onset of distal muscle weakness and atrophy mainly affecting the lower limbs and resulting in difficulty walking in the second decade of life, although both earlier and later onset can occur. Upper limb involvement often develops with time, and affected individuals have weakness and atrophy of the intrinsic hand muscles. Other features may include distal sensory impairment, foot deformities, scoliosis, hypo- or hyperreflexia, spastic paraparesis, and neurogenic bladder. Electrophysiologic studies are compatible with an axonal sensorimotor peripheral neuropathy, and muscle and nerve biopsy show evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction with decreased activities of respiratory complexes, mtDNA deletions, and mitochondrial hyperplasia (summary by Fay et al., 2020).

SOFM is characterized by marked short stature, oligodontia, mild facial dysmorphism, and motor delay. Endosteal hyperostosis has also been observed, and patients may exhibit some features of progeria (Terhal et al., 2020; Beauregard-Lacroix et al., 2020).

Cataracts, spastic paraparesis, and speech delay (CSPSD) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by spastic paraparesis and bilateral congenital/juvenile cataracts. Speech delay is a common feature (Ferdinandusse et al., 2021).