GJB1 disorders are typically characterized by peripheral motor and sensory neuropathy with or without fixed CNS abnormalities and/or acute, self-limited episodes of transient neurologic dysfunction (especially weakness and dysarthria). Peripheral neuropathy typically manifests in affected males between ages five and 25 years. Although both men and women are affected, manifestations tend to be less severe in women, some of whom may remain asymptomatic. Less commonly, initial manifestations in some affected individuals are stroke-like episodes (acute fulminant episodes of reversible CNS dysfunction).

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) is characterized by recurrent acute sensory and motor neuropathy in a single or multiple nerves. The most common initial manifestation is the acute onset of a non-painful focal sensory and motor neuropathy in a single nerve (mononeuropathy). The first attack usually occurs in the second or third decade but earlier onset is possible. Neuropathic pain is increasingly recognized as a common manifestation. Recovery from acute neuropathy is usually complete; when recovery is not complete, the resulting disability is mild. Some affected individuals also demonstrate a mild-to-moderate peripheral neuropathy.

A rare hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy characterized by intermediate motor median nerve conduction velocities (usually between 25 and 60 m/s). It presents with moderately severe, slowly progressive usual clinical features of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (muscle weakness and atrophy of the distal extremities, distal sensory loss, reduced or absent deep tendon reflexes, feet deformities, extensor digitorum brevis atrophy). Findings in nerve biopsies include age-dependent axonal degeneration, reduced number of large myelinated fibers, segmental remyelination, and no onion bulbs.

The spectrum of DCTN1-related neurodegeneration includes Perry syndrome, distal hereditary motor neuronopathy type 7B (dHMN7B), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), motor neuron disease / amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and progressive supranuclear palsy. Some individuals present with overlapping phenotypes (e.g., FTD-ALS, Perry syndrome-dHMN7B). Perry syndrome (the most common of the phenotypes associated with DCTN1) is characterized by parkinsonism, neuropsychiatric symptoms, hypoventilation, and weight loss. The mean age of onset in those with Perry syndrome is 49 years (range: 35-70 years), and the mean disease duration is five years (range: 2-14 years). In most affected persons, the reported cause/circumstance of death relates to sudden death/hypoventilation or suicide.

Any neuronopathy, distal hereditary motor in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the HSPB3 gene.

CAV3-related distal myopathy is one form of distal myopathy, a group of disorders characterized by weakness and loss of function affecting the muscles farthest from the center of the body (distal muscles), such as those of the hands and feet. People with CAV3-related distal myopathy experience wasting (atrophy) and weakness of the small muscles in the hands and feet that generally become noticeable in adulthood. A bump or other sudden impact on the muscles, especially those in the forearms, may cause them to exhibit repetitive tensing (percussion-induced rapid contraction). The rapid contractions can continue for up to 30 seconds and may be painful. Overgrowth (hypertrophy) of the calf muscles can also occur in CAV3-related distal myopathy. The muscles closer to the center of the body (proximal muscles) such as the thighs and upper arms are normal in this condition.

A rare genetic principally axonal peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy with an X-linked dominant inheritance pattern and the childhood-onset of slowly progressive, moderate to severe, distal muscle weakness and atrophy of the lower extremities, as well as distal, pan modal sensory abnormalities, bilateral foot deformities (pes cavus, clawed toes), absent ankle reflexes and gait abnormalities (steppage gait). Females are usually asymptomatic or only present mild manifestations (mild postural hand tremor, mild wasting of hand intrinsic muscles).

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-21 (ALS21) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder affecting upper and lower motor neurons, resulting in muscle weakness and respiratory failure. Some patients may develop myopathic features or dementia (summary by Johnson et al., 2014). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, see ALS1 (105400).

Polyglucosan body myopathy-2 is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by proximal muscle weakness of the lower limbs resulting in gait disturbances. Some patients also have involvement of the upper limbs and/or distal muscle weakness. The age at onset is highly variable, and the disorder is slowly progressive. Muscle biopsy shows accumulation of polyglucosan, which contains abnormally long and poorly branched glucosyl chains and is variably resistant to digestion by alpha-amylase (summary by Malfatti et al., 2014). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PGBM, see PGBM1 (615895).

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2U (CMT2U) is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized by late-adult onset of distal sensory impairment resulting in distal muscle weakness and atrophy affecting the upper and lower limbs. The disorder is slowly progressive (summary by Gonzalez et al., 2013). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of axonal CMT, see CMT2A1 (118210).