Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, type 4H (CMT4H) is a demyelinating CMT peripheral sensorimotor polyneuropathy. It has been described in 10 individuals from two large consanguineous families from Lebanon and Algeria. Onset occurs within the first two years of life with slowly progressive muscle weakness in the distal extremities. Other common features include delayed walking, an abnormal gait, scoliosis and pes equines with toe retraction. CMT4H is caused by mutations in the FGD4 gene (12p11.1). Transmitted in an autosomal recessive manner.

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.

The Russe type of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSNR) is an autosomal recessive progressive complex peripheral neuropathy characterized by onset in the first decade of distal lower limb weakness and muscle atrophy resulting in walking difficulties. Distal impairment of the upper limbs usually occurs later, as does proximal lower limb weakness. There is distal sensory impairment, with pes cavus and areflexia. Laboratory studies suggest that it is a myelinopathy resulting in reduced nerve conduction velocities in the demyelinating range as well as a length-dependent axonopathy (summary by Sevilla et al., 2013). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, also known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, see CMT4A (214400).

CTDP1-related congenital cataracts, facial dysmorphism, and neuropathy (CTDP1-CCFDN) is characterized by abnormalities of the eye (bilateral congenital cataracts, microcornea, microphthalmia, micropupils), mildly dysmorphic facial features apparent in late childhood, and a hypo-/demyelinating, symmetric, distal peripheral neuropathy. The neuropathy is predominantly motor at the onset and results in delays in early motor development, progressing to severe disability by the third decade of life. Secondary foot deformities and scoliosis are common. Sensory neuropathy develops after age ten years. Most affected individuals have a mild nonprogressive intellectual deficit and cerebellar involvement including ataxia, nystagmus, intention tremor, and dysmetria. All have short stature and most have subnormal weight. Adults have hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Parainfectious rhabdomyolysis (profound muscle weakness, myoglobinuria, and excessively elevated serum concentration of creatine kinase usually following a viral infection) is a potentially life-threatening complication. To date all affected individuals and carriers identified have been from the Romani population.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4J (CMT4J) is an autosomal recessive progressive neurologic disorder with a highly variable phenotype and onset ranging from early childhood to adulthood. Most patients have both proximal and distal asymmetric muscle weakness of the upper and lower limbs. There is significant motor dysfunction, followed by variably progressive sensory loss, which may be mild. Nerve conduction studies and nerve biopsies indicate demyelination as well as axonal loss (summary by Nicholson et al., 2011). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive demyelinating Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, see CMT4A (214400).

Syndrome with characteristics of seizures, sensorineural deafness, ataxia, intellectual deficit, and electrolyte imbalance. It has been described in five patients from four families. The disease is caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the KCNJ10 gene, encoding a potassium channel expressed in the brain, spinal cord, inner ear and kidneys. Transmission is autosomal recessive.

Lethal congenital contracture syndrome-8 (LCCS8), an axoglial form of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, is characterized by congenital distal joint contractures, reduced fetal movements, and severe motor paralysis leading to death early in the neonatal period (Laquerriere et al., 2014). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of lethal congenital contracture syndrome, see LCCS1 (253310).

Congenital hypomyelinating neuropathy (CHN) is characterized clinically by onset of hypotonia at birth, areflexia, distal muscle weakness, and very slow nerve conduction velocities (often less than 10 m/s). Warner et al. (1997, 1998) noted that pathologic findings on sural nerve biopsies show hypomyelination of most or all fibers. Based on these findings, CHN is considered to be a result of congenital impairment in myelin formation. There has been some controversy and difficulty in differentiating congenital hypomyelination from Dejerine-Sottas syndrome (DSS; 145900) because there is considerable overlap in clinical presentation. Based on pathologic findings of sural nerve biopsies (the absence of active myelin breakdown and the paucity of the onion bulbs in CHN and the presence of demyelination/remyelination and an abundance of well-organized onion bulbs in DSS; see Balestrini et al., 1991), CHN is considered to result from a congenital impairment in myelin formation, whereas DSS is thought to be due to aberrant demyelination and subsequent remyelination of the peripheral nerve. There is also variation in the prognosis of patients diagnosed with CHN. In patients with CHN, Harati and Butler (1985) showed correlation of morbidity and mortality with the presence/absence of onion bulbs: patients with few onion bulbs died in early infancy, usually because of difficulty in swallowing and respiration after birth. Patients with atypical onion bulbs survived but were affected with severe motor and sensory impairment. These differences in outcome may represent genetic heterogeneity such that mutations in essential early myelin gene(s) cause a severe phenotype, whereas mutations in other, possibly later acting gene(s), such as MPZ, lead to a less severe outcome. Genetic Heterogeneity of Congenital Hypomyelinating Neuropathy See also CHN2 (618184), caused by mutation in the MPZ gene (159440) on chromosome 1q23; and CHN3 (618186), caused by mutation in the CNTNAP1 gene (602346) on chromosome 17q21.