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Achromatopsia

MedGen UID:
57751
Concept ID:
C0152200
Disease or Syndrome
Synonym: Rod monochromatism
SNOMED CT: Achromatopsia (56852002); Monochromatism (56852002); Achromatism (56852002)
Modes of inheritance:
Autosomal recessive inheritance
MedGen UID:
141025
Concept ID:
C0441748
Intellectual Product
Source: Orphanet
A mode of inheritance that is observed for traits related to a gene encoded on one of the autosomes (i.e., the human chromosomes 1-22) in which a trait manifests in individuals with two pathogenic alleles, either homozygotes (two copies of the same mutant allele) or compound heterozygotes (whereby each copy of a gene has a distinct mutant allele).
 
Genes (locations): PDE6C (10q23.33); PDE6H (12p12.3)
Related genes: CNGB3, GNAT2, CNGA3
 
HPO: HP:0011516
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0018852
Orphanet: ORPHA49382

Disease characteristics

Excerpted from the GeneReview: Achromatopsia
Achromatopsia is characterized by reduced visual acuity, pendular nystagmus, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), a small central scotoma, eccentric fixation, and reduced or complete loss of color discrimination. All individuals with achromatopsia (achromats) have impaired color discrimination along all three axes of color vision corresponding to the three cone classes: the protan or long-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (red), the deutan or middle-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (green), and the tritan or short-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (blue). Most individuals have complete achromatopsia, with total lack of function of all three types of cones. Rarely, individuals have incomplete achromatopsia, in which one or more cone types may be partially functioning. The manifestations are similar to those of individuals with complete achromatopsia, but generally less severe. Hyperopia is common in achromatopsia. Nystagmus develops during the first few weeks after birth followed by increased sensitivity to bright light. Best visual acuity varies with severity of the disease; it is 20/200 or less in complete achromatopsia and may be as high as 20/80 in incomplete achromatopsia. Visual acuity is usually stable over time; both nystagmus and sensitivity to bright light may improve slightly. Although the fundus is usually normal, macular changes (which may show early signs of progression) and vessel narrowing may be present in some affected individuals. Defects in the macula are visible on optical coherence tomography. [from GeneReviews]
Authors:
Susanne Kohl  |  Herbert Jägle  |  Bernd Wissinger, et. al.   view full author information

Additional description

From MedlinePlus Genetics
Achromatopsia is a condition characterized by a partial or total absence of color vision. People with complete achromatopsia cannot perceive any colors; they see only black, white, and shades of gray. Incomplete achromatopsia is a milder form of the condition that allows some color discrimination.

Achromatopsia also involves other problems with vision, including an increased sensitivity to light and glare (photophobia), involuntary back-and-forth eye movements (nystagmus), and significantly reduced sharpness of vision (low visual acuity). Affected individuals can also have farsightedness (hyperopia) or, less commonly, nearsightedness (myopia). These vision problems develop in the first few months of life.

Achromatopsia is different from the more common forms of color vision deficiency (also called color blindness), in which people can perceive color but have difficulty distinguishing between certain colors, such as red and green.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/achromatopsia

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
Follow this link to review classifications for Achromatopsia in Orphanet.

Conditions with this feature

Achromatopsia 4
MedGen UID:
330669
Concept ID:
C1841721
Disease or Syndrome
Achromatopsia is characterized by reduced visual acuity, pendular nystagmus, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), a small central scotoma, eccentric fixation, and reduced or complete loss of color discrimination. All individuals with achromatopsia (achromats) have impaired color discrimination along all three axes of color vision corresponding to the three cone classes: the protan or long-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (red), the deutan or middle-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (green), and the tritan or short-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (blue). Most individuals have complete achromatopsia, with total lack of function of all three types of cones. Rarely, individuals have incomplete achromatopsia, in which one or more cone types may be partially functioning. The manifestations are similar to those of individuals with complete achromatopsia, but generally less severe. Hyperopia is common in achromatopsia. Nystagmus develops during the first few weeks after birth followed by increased sensitivity to bright light. Best visual acuity varies with severity of the disease; it is 20/200 or less in complete achromatopsia and may be as high as 20/80 in incomplete achromatopsia. Visual acuity is usually stable over time; both nystagmus and sensitivity to bright light may improve slightly. Although the fundus is usually normal, macular changes (which may show early signs of progression) and vessel narrowing may be present in some affected individuals. Defects in the macula are visible on optical coherence tomography.
Achromatopsia 3
MedGen UID:
340413
Concept ID:
C1849792
Disease or Syndrome
Achromatopsia is characterized by reduced visual acuity, pendular nystagmus, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), a small central scotoma, eccentric fixation, and reduced or complete loss of color discrimination. All individuals with achromatopsia (achromats) have impaired color discrimination along all three axes of color vision corresponding to the three cone classes: the protan or long-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (red), the deutan or middle-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (green), and the tritan or short-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (blue). Most individuals have complete achromatopsia, with total lack of function of all three types of cones. Rarely, individuals have incomplete achromatopsia, in which one or more cone types may be partially functioning. The manifestations are similar to those of individuals with complete achromatopsia, but generally less severe. Hyperopia is common in achromatopsia. Nystagmus develops during the first few weeks after birth followed by increased sensitivity to bright light. Best visual acuity varies with severity of the disease; it is 20/200 or less in complete achromatopsia and may be as high as 20/80 in incomplete achromatopsia. Visual acuity is usually stable over time; both nystagmus and sensitivity to bright light may improve slightly. Although the fundus is usually normal, macular changes (which may show early signs of progression) and vessel narrowing may be present in some affected individuals. Defects in the macula are visible on optical coherence tomography.
Achromatopsia 2
MedGen UID:
387867
Concept ID:
C1857618
Disease or Syndrome
Achromatopsia is characterized by reduced visual acuity, pendular nystagmus, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), a small central scotoma, eccentric fixation, and reduced or complete loss of color discrimination. All individuals with achromatopsia (achromats) have impaired color discrimination along all three axes of color vision corresponding to the three cone classes: the protan or long-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (red), the deutan or middle-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (green), and the tritan or short-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (blue). Most individuals have complete achromatopsia, with total lack of function of all three types of cones. Rarely, individuals have incomplete achromatopsia, in which one or more cone types may be partially functioning. The manifestations are similar to those of individuals with complete achromatopsia, but generally less severe. Hyperopia is common in achromatopsia. Nystagmus develops during the first few weeks after birth followed by increased sensitivity to bright light. Best visual acuity varies with severity of the disease; it is 20/200 or less in complete achromatopsia and may be as high as 20/80 in incomplete achromatopsia. Visual acuity is usually stable over time; both nystagmus and sensitivity to bright light may improve slightly. Although the fundus is usually normal, macular changes (which may show early signs of progression) and vessel narrowing may be present in some affected individuals. Defects in the macula are visible on optical coherence tomography.
Short stature-optic atrophy-Pelger-HuC+t anomaly syndrome
MedGen UID:
762020
Concept ID:
C3541319
Disease or Syndrome
Among the Yakuts, an Asian population isolate that is located in the northeastern part of Siberia, Maksimova et al. (2010) ascertained an autosomal recessive short stature syndrome involving postnatal growth failure, small hands and feet, loss of visual acuity with abnormalities of color vision, abnormal nuclear shape in neutrophil granulocytes (Pelger-Huet anomaly; see 169400), and normal intelligence.
Achromatopsia 7
MedGen UID:
904646
Concept ID:
C4225297
Disease or Syndrome
Achromatopsia is characterized by reduced visual acuity, pendular nystagmus, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), a small central scotoma, eccentric fixation, and reduced or complete loss of color discrimination. All individuals with achromatopsia (achromats) have impaired color discrimination along all three axes of color vision corresponding to the three cone classes: the protan or long-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (red), the deutan or middle-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (green), and the tritan or short-wavelength-sensitive cone axis (blue). Most individuals have complete achromatopsia, with total lack of function of all three types of cones. Rarely, individuals have incomplete achromatopsia, in which one or more cone types may be partially functioning. The manifestations are similar to those of individuals with complete achromatopsia, but generally less severe. Hyperopia is common in achromatopsia. Nystagmus develops during the first few weeks after birth followed by increased sensitivity to bright light. Best visual acuity varies with severity of the disease; it is 20/200 or less in complete achromatopsia and may be as high as 20/80 in incomplete achromatopsia. Visual acuity is usually stable over time; both nystagmus and sensitivity to bright light may improve slightly. Although the fundus is usually normal, macular changes (which may show early signs of progression) and vessel narrowing may be present in some affected individuals. Defects in the macula are visible on optical coherence tomography.

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Sheck LHN, Esposti SD, Mahroo OA, Arno G, Pontikos N, Wright G, Webster AR, Khan KN, Michaelides M
Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021 Dec;9(12):e1663. Epub 2021 Mar 22 doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1663. PMID: 33749171Free PMC Article
Pascual-Camps I, Barranco-Gonzalez H, Aviñó-Martínez J, Silva E, Harto-Castaño M
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2018 Mar 1;55(2):85-92. Epub 2017 Dec 19 doi: 10.3928/01913913-20171117-01. PMID: 29257187
Verma IC, Paliwal P, Singh K
Indian J Pediatr 2018 Mar;85(3):228-236. Epub 2017 Oct 2 doi: 10.1007/s12098-017-2453-7. PMID: 28971364

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Sheck LHN, Esposti SD, Mahroo OA, Arno G, Pontikos N, Wright G, Webster AR, Khan KN, Michaelides M
Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021 Dec;9(12):e1663. Epub 2021 Mar 22 doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1663. PMID: 33749171Free PMC Article
Weisschuh N, Obermaier CD, Battke F, Bernd A, Kuehlewein L, Nasser F, Zobor D, Zrenner E, Weber E, Wissinger B, Biskup S, Stingl K, Kohl S
Hum Mutat 2020 Sep;41(9):1514-1527. Epub 2020 Jun 29 doi: 10.1002/humu.24064. PMID: 32531858
Tsang SH, Sharma T
Adv Exp Med Biol 2018;1085:119-123. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-95046-4_24. PMID: 30578497
Haque S, Vaphiades MS, Lueck CJ
J Neuroophthalmol 2018 Sep;38(3):379-392. doi: 10.1097/WNO.0000000000000556. PMID: 28945627
Aboshiha J, Dubis AM, Carroll J, Hardcastle AJ, Michaelides M
Br J Ophthalmol 2016 Jan;100(1):115-21. Epub 2015 Mar 13 doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2014-306505. PMID: 25770143Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Carroll J, Conway BR
Handb Clin Neurol 2021;178:131-153. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-821377-3.00005-2. PMID: 33832674
Sheck LHN, Esposti SD, Mahroo OA, Arno G, Pontikos N, Wright G, Webster AR, Khan KN, Michaelides M
Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021 Dec;9(12):e1663. Epub 2021 Mar 22 doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1663. PMID: 33749171Free PMC Article
Weisschuh N, Obermaier CD, Battke F, Bernd A, Kuehlewein L, Nasser F, Zobor D, Zrenner E, Weber E, Wissinger B, Biskup S, Stingl K, Kohl S
Hum Mutat 2020 Sep;41(9):1514-1527. Epub 2020 Jun 29 doi: 10.1002/humu.24064. PMID: 32531858
Michalakis S, Schön C, Becirovic E, Biel M
J Gene Med 2017 Mar;19(3) doi: 10.1002/jgm.2944. PMID: 28095637
Zobor D, Zobor G, Kohl S
Ophthalmic Res 2015;54(2):103-8. Epub 2015 Aug 21 doi: 10.1159/000435957. PMID: 26304472

Therapy

Baxter MF, Borchert GA
Int J Mol Sci 2024 Sep 9;25(17) doi: 10.3390/ijms25179739. PMID: 39273686Free PMC Article
Michaelides M, Hirji N, Wong SC, Besirli CG, Zaman S, Kumaran N, Georgiadis A, Smith AJ, Ripamonti C, Gottlob I, Robson AG, Thiadens A, Henderson RH, Fleck P, Anglade E, Dong X, Capuano G, Lu W, Berry P, Kane T, Naylor S, Georgiou M, Kalitzeos A, Ali RR, Forbes A, Bainbridge J
Am J Ophthalmol 2023 Sep;253:243-251. Epub 2023 May 11 doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2023.05.009. PMID: 37172884
Mendell JR, Al-Zaidy SA, Rodino-Klapac LR, Goodspeed K, Gray SJ, Kay CN, Boye SL, Boye SE, George LA, Salabarria S, Corti M, Byrne BJ, Tremblay JP
Mol Ther 2021 Feb 3;29(2):464-488. Epub 2020 Dec 10 doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2020.12.007. PMID: 33309881Free PMC Article
Hassall MM, Barnard AR, MacLaren RE
Yale J Biol Med 2017 Dec;90(4):543-551. Epub 2017 Dec 19 PMID: 29259520Free PMC Article
Michalakis S, Schön C, Becirovic E, Biel M
J Gene Med 2017 Mar;19(3) doi: 10.1002/jgm.2944. PMID: 28095637

Prognosis

Kuht HJ, Maconachie GDE, Han J, Kessel L, van Genderen MM, McLean RJ, Hisaund M, Tu Z, Hertle RW, Gronskov K, Bai D, Wei A, Li W, Jiao Y, Smirnov V, Choi JH, Tobin MD, Sheth V, Purohit R, Dawar B, Girach A, Strul S, May L, Chen FK, Heath Jeffery RC, Aamir A, Sano R, Jin J, Brooks BP, Kohl S, Arveiler B, Montoliu L, Engle EC, Proudlock FA, Nishad G, Pani P, Varma G, Gottlob I, Thomas MG
Ophthalmology 2022 Jun;129(6):708-718. Epub 2022 Feb 11 doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2022.02.010. PMID: 35157951Free PMC Article
Thomas MG, Papageorgiou E, Kuht HJ, Gottlob I
Br J Ophthalmol 2022 May;106(5):593-599. Epub 2020 Nov 4 doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316348. PMID: 33148537
Sheck LHN, Esposti SD, Mahroo OA, Arno G, Pontikos N, Wright G, Webster AR, Khan KN, Michaelides M
Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021 Dec;9(12):e1663. Epub 2021 Mar 22 doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1663. PMID: 33749171Free PMC Article
Verma IC, Paliwal P, Singh K
Indian J Pediatr 2018 Mar;85(3):228-236. Epub 2017 Oct 2 doi: 10.1007/s12098-017-2453-7. PMID: 28971364
Gottlob I
Curr Opin Ophthalmol 2000 Oct;11(5):330-5. doi: 10.1097/00055735-200010000-00007. PMID: 11148698

Clinical prediction guides

Thomas MG, Papageorgiou E, Kuht HJ, Gottlob I
Br J Ophthalmol 2022 May;106(5):593-599. Epub 2020 Nov 4 doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316348. PMID: 33148537
Sheck LHN, Esposti SD, Mahroo OA, Arno G, Pontikos N, Wright G, Webster AR, Khan KN, Michaelides M
Mol Genet Genomic Med 2021 Dec;9(12):e1663. Epub 2021 Mar 22 doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1663. PMID: 33749171Free PMC Article
Tsang SH, Sharma T
Adv Exp Med Biol 2018;1085:119-123. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-95046-4_24. PMID: 30578497
Aboshiha J, Dubis AM, Carroll J, Hardcastle AJ, Michaelides M
Br J Ophthalmol 2016 Jan;100(1):115-21. Epub 2015 Mar 13 doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2014-306505. PMID: 25770143Free PMC Article
Heywood CA, Kentridge RW
Neurol Clin 2003 May;21(2):483-500. doi: 10.1016/s0733-8619(02)00102-0. PMID: 12916488

Recent systematic reviews

Sobh M, Lagali PS, Ghiasi M, Montroy J, Dollin M, Hurley B, Leonard BC, Dimopoulos I, Lafreniere M, Fergusson DA, Lalu MM, Tsilfidis C
Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023 Nov 1;12(11):24. doi: 10.1167/tvst.12.11.24. PMID: 37982768Free PMC Article
Britten-Jones AC, Jin R, Gocuk SA, Cichello E, O'Hare F, Hickey DG, Edwards TL, Ayton LN
Genet Med 2022 Mar;24(3):521-534. Epub 2021 Nov 30 doi: 10.1016/j.gim.2021.10.013. PMID: 34906485

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