Progressive myoclonic epilepsy type 1(EPM1) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by onset from age six to 15 years, stimulus-sensitive myoclonus, and tonic-clonic epileptic seizures. Some years after the onset, ataxia, incoordination, intentional tremor, and dysarthria develop. Individuals with EPM1 are cognitively mostly within the normal range, but show emotional lability and depression. The epileptic seizures are usually well controlled by anti-seizure medication, but the myoclonic jerks are progressive, action activated, and treatment resistant, and can be severely disabling.

Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with agenesis of the corpus callosum (HMSN/ACC), a neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by severe progressive sensorimotor neuropathy with resulting hypotonia, areflexia, and amyotrophy, and by variable degrees of dysgenesis of the corpus callosum. Mild-to-severe intellectual disability and "psychotic episodes" during adolescence are observed. Sensory modalities are moderately to severely affected beginning in infancy. The average age of onset of walking is 3.8 years; the average age of loss of walking is 13.8 years; the average age of death is 33 years.

A syndromic X-linked intellectual disability characterized by moderate intellectual disability with variable occurrence of asthenic body habitus, dysmorphic features, autistic features, macrocephaly, seizures, myoclonic jerks, and hyporeflexia that has material basis in mutation in the GRIA3 gene on chromosome Xq25.

Christianson syndrome (referred to as CS in this GeneReview), an X-linked disorder, is characterized in males by cognitive dysfunction, behavioral disorder, and neurologic findings (e.g., seizures, ataxia, postnatal microcephaly, and eye movement abnormalities). Males with CS typically present with developmental delay, later meeting criteria for severe intellectual disability (ID). Behaviorally, autism spectrum disorder and hyperactivity are common, and may resemble the behaviors observed in Angelman syndrome. Hypotonia and oropharyngeal dysphagia in infancy may result in failure to thrive. Seizures, typically beginning before age three years, can include infantile spasms and tonic, tonic-clonic, myoclonic, and atonic seizures. Subsequently, regression (e.g., loss of ambulation and ability to feed independently) may occur. Manifestations in heterozygous females range from asymptomatic to mild ID and/or behavioral issues.

Branched-chain ketoacid dehydrogenase kinase deficiency (BCKDKD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by autism, impaired intellectual development, and microcephaly (Tangeraas et al., 2023).

KCNT1-related epilepsy is most often associated with two phenotypes: epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS) and autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE). EIMFS is characterized by seizures, typically focal and asynchronous, beginning in the first six months of life with associated developmental plateau or regression. Autonomic manifestations (e.g., perioral cyanosis, flushing, apnea) are common. Seizures are intractable to multiple anticonvulsants and progress to become nearly continuous by age six to nine months. ADNFLE is characterized by clusters of nocturnal motor seizures that vary from simple arousals to hyperkinetic events with tonic or dystonic features. Individuals with KCNT1-related ADNFLE are more likely to develop seizures at a younger age, have cognitive comorbidity, and display psychiatric and behavioral problems than individuals with ADNFLE resulting from other causes. Less common seizure phenotypes in individuals with KCNT1-related epilepsy include West syndrome, Ohtahara syndrome, early myoclonic encephalopathy, leukodystrophy and/or leukoencephalopathy, focal epilepsy, and multifocal epilepsy. Additional neurologic features include hypotonia, microcephaly developing by age 12 months, strabismus, profound developmental delay, and additional movement disorders. Other systemic manifestations including pulmonary hemorrhage caused by prominent systemic-to-pulmonary collateral arteries or cardiac arrhythmia have been reported.

Early-onset epilepsy-5 with or without developmental delay (EPEO5) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of various types of seizures late in the first decade or during adolescence. Focal seizures are common. Most affected individuals have developmental delay, variable impaired intellectual development, and/or behavioral and neuropsychiatric abnormalities (Stogmann et al., 2013; Abdulkareem et al., 2023). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of EPEO, see 617290.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-21 (DEE21) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of intractable seizures in the first months of life. Affected individuals have severely impaired psychomotor development with poor head control and inability to fix and follow visually. Other features may include axial hypotonia, peripheral hypertonia, and cerebral atrophy or delayed myelination on brain imaging (summary by Alazami et al., 2014 and Alsahli et al., 2018). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with microcephaly, seizures, and cortical atrophy (NDMSCA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe global developmental delay with poor motor and intellectual function apparent soon after birth, as well as postnatal progressive microcephaly. Most patients develop early-onset, frequent, and often intractable seizures, compatible with an epileptic encephalopathy. Other features include poor feeding, poor overall growth, absent speech, poor or absent eye contact, inability to achieve walking, hypotonia, and peripheral spasticity. Brain imaging usually shows progressive cerebral atrophy, thin corpus callosum, and abnormalities in myelination. Death in childhood may occur (summary by Siekierska et al., 2019).

Complex cortical dysplasia with other brain malformations-15 (CDCBM15) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by progressive microcephaly associated with abnormal facial features, hypotonia, and variable global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development. Brain imaging shows variable malformation of cortical development on the lissencephaly spectrum, mainly pachygyria and thin corpus callosum (summary by Mitani et al., 2019). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CDCBM, see CDCBM1 (614039).

Permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus-3 (PNDM3) is characterized by the onset of mild to severe hyperglycemia within the first months of life, and requires lifelong therapy (summary by Babenko et al., 2006). Some patients also have neurologic features, including developmental delay and epilepsy (Proks et al., 2006; Babenko et al., 2006). The triad of developmental delay, epilepsy, and neonatal diabetes is known as DEND. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus, see PNDM1 (606176).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with hypotonia, microcephaly, and seizures (NEDHYMS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by global developmental delay with axial hypotonia, inability to sit or walk, and severely impaired intellectual development with absent language. Most patients develop early-onset intractable seizures that prevent normal development. Additional features include feeding difficulties with poor overall growth and microcephaly. Some patients may have spastic quadriplegia, poor eye contact due to cortical blindness, variable dysmorphic features, and nonspecific abnormalities on brain imaging (summary by Tan et al., 2020).

Periventricular nodular heterotopia-9 (PVNH9) is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized as a malformation of cortical development. Anterior predominant PVNH, thin corpus callosum, and decreased white matter volume are found on brain imaging, but the clinical effects are variable. Most patients have impaired intellectual development and cognitive defects associated with low IQ (range 50 to 80), learning disabilities, and behavior abnormalities. Some patients develop seizures that tend to have a focal origin. However, some mutation carriers may be less severely affected with borderline or even normal IQ, suggesting incomplete penetrance of the phenotype (summary by Heinzen et al., 2018, Walters et al., 2018). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of periventricular nodular heterotopia, see 300049.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with seizures, hypotonia, and brain imaging abnormalities (NEDSHBA) is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by global developmental delay, severe to profound intellectual impairment, early-onset refractory seizures, hypotonia, failure to thrive, and progressive microcephaly. Brain imaging shows cerebral atrophy, thin corpus callosum, and myelination defects. Death in childhood may occur (summary by Marafi et al., 2020).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with or without early-onset generalized epilepsy (NEDEGE) is characterized by global developmental delay apparent from infancy or early childhood. Affected individuals have variably impaired intellectual development, speech delay, and behavioral abnormalities. About half of patients develop early-onset generalized epilepsy with different seizure types; myoclonic seizures and myoclonic-atonic epilepsy are commonly observed. The seizures may remit with age or remain refractory to treatment. Brain imaging is essentially normal and there are no significant accompanying neurologic or systemic abnormalities (summary by Mulhern et al., 2018).

Autosomal recessive intellectual developmental disorder-76 (MRT76) is characterized by impaired intellectual development, absent speech, poor sleep, abnormal EEG with seizures, normal brain imaging, and precocious puberty (Ismail et al., 2022).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with spasticity, seizures, and brain abnormalities (NEDSSBA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by global developmental delay apparent in infancy, axial hypotonia, peripheral spasticity, and early-onset seizures of various types and severity. Affected individuals have delayed walking or are unable to walk and show impaired intellectual development with poor or absent speech. Brain imaging may show developmental defects of the operculum, cerebellum, and corpus callosum. Death in early childhood may occur (Calame et al., 2021).

Congenital muscular dystrophy with or without seizures (MYOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe muscle hypotonia apparent from birth, as well as developmental delay. Laboratory studies show increased serum creatine kinase and muscle biopsy shows nonspecific dystrophic features. Most patients develop seizures or have abnormal epileptiform findings on EEG studies; other variable findings may include feeding difficulties, nystagmus, myopathic facies, areflexia, and brain atrophy on MRI (summary by Larson et al., 2018 and Henige et al., 2021).