MedGen

Wilson disease is a disorder of copper metabolism that can present with hepatic, neurologic, or psychiatric disturbances, or a combination of these, in individuals ranging from age three years to older than 50 years; symptoms vary among and within families. Liver disease includes recurrent jaundice, simple acute self-limited hepatitis-like illness, autoimmune-type hepatitis, fulminant hepatic failure, or chronic liver disease. Neurologic presentations include movement disorders (tremors, poor coordination, loss of fine-motor control, chorea, choreoathetosis) or rigid dystonia (mask-like facies, rigidity, gait disturbance, pseudobulbar involvement). Psychiatric disturbance includes depression, neurotic behaviors, disorganization of personality, and, occasionally, intellectual deterioration. Kayser-Fleischer rings, frequently present, result from copper deposition in Descemet's membrane of the cornea and reflect a high degree of copper storage in the body. [from GeneReviews]

The spectrum of COL4A1-related disorders includes: small-vessel brain disease of varying severity including porencephaly, variably associated with eye defects (retinal arterial tortuosity, Axenfeld-Rieger anomaly, cataract) and systemic findings (kidney involvement, muscle cramps, cerebral aneurysms, Raynaud phenomenon, cardiac arrhythmia, and hemolytic anemia). On imaging studies, small-vessel brain disease is manifest as diffuse periventricular leukoencephalopathy, lacunar infarcts, microhemorrhage, dilated perivascular spaces, and deep intracerebral hemorrhages. Clinically, small-vessel brain disease manifests as infantile hemiparesis, seizures, single or recurrent hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, and isolated migraine with aura. Porencephaly (fluid-filled cavities in the brain detected by CT or MRI) is typically manifest as infantile hemiparesis, seizures, and intellectual disability; however, on occasion it can be an incidental finding. HANAC (hereditary angiopathy with nephropathy, aneurysms, and muscle cramps) syndrome usually associates asymptomatic small-vessel brain disease, cerebral large vessel involvement (i.e., aneurysms), and systemic findings involving the kidney, muscle, and small vessels of the eye. Two additional phenotypes include isolated retinal artery tortuosity and nonsyndromic autosomal dominant congenital cataract. [from GeneReviews]

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) deficiency is associated with a broad phenotypic spectrum. Based on severity of symptoms/signs as well as responsiveness to levodopa therapy, clinical phenotypes caused by pathogenic variants in TH are divided into (1) TH-deficient dopa-responsive dystonia (the mild form of TH deficiency), (2) TH-deficient infantile parkinsonism with motor delay (the severe form), and (3) TH-deficient progressive infantile encephalopathy (the very severe form). In individuals with TH-deficient dopa-responsive dystonia (DYT5b, DYT-TH), onset is between age 12 months and 12 years; initial symptoms are typically lower-limb dystonia and/or difficulty in walking. Diurnal fluctuation of symptoms (worsening of the symptoms toward the evening and their alleviation in the morning after sleep) may be present. In most individuals with TH-deficient infantile parkinsonism with motor delay, onset is between age three and 12 months. In contrast to TH-deficient DRD, motor milestones are overtly delayed in this severe form. Affected infants demonstrate truncal hypotonia and parkinsonian symptoms and signs (hypokinesia, rigidity of extremities, and/or tremor). In individuals with TH-deficient progressive infantile encephalopathy, onset is before age three to six months. Fetal distress is reported in most. Affected individuals have marked delay in motor development, truncal hypotonia, severe hypokinesia, limb hypertonia (rigidity and/or spasticity), hyperreflexia, oculogyric crises, ptosis, intellectual disability, and paroxysmal periods of lethargy (with increased sweating and drooling) alternating with irritability. [from GeneReviews]

Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency (AADCD) is an autosomal recessive inborn error in neurotransmitter metabolism that leads to combined serotonin and catecholamine deficiency (Abeling et al., 2000). The disorder is clinically characterized by vegetative symptoms, oculogyric crises, dystonia, and severe neurologic dysfunction, usually beginning in infancy or childhood (summary by Brun et al., 2010). [from OMIM]

Partington syndrome (PRTS) is an X-linked developmental disorder characterized by impaired intellectual development and variable movement disturbances. Partington syndrome is part of a phenotypic spectrum of disorders caused by mutation in the ARX gene comprising a nearly continuous series of developmental disorders ranging from hydranencephaly and lissencephaly (LISX2; 300215) to Proud syndrome (300004) to infantile spasms without brain malformations (see 308350) to nonsyndromic intellectual disability (300419). Although males with ARX mutations are often more severely affected, female mutation carriers may also be affected (Kato et al., 2004; Wallerstein et al., 2008). [from OMIM]

The spectrum of clinical manifestations of MAPT-related frontotemporal dementia (MAPT-FTD) has expanded from its original description of frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonian manifestations to include changes in behavior, motor function, memory, and/or language. A recent retrospective study suggested that the majority of affected individuals have either behavioral changes consistent with a diagnosis of behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) or, less commonly, a parkinsonian syndrome (i.e., progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal syndrome, or Parkinson disease). Fewer than 5% of people with MAPT-FTD have primary progressive aphasia or Alzheimer disease. Clinical presentation may differ between and within families with the same MAPT variant. MAPT-FTD is a progressive disorder that commonly ends with a relatively global dementia in which some affected individuals become mute. Progression of motor impairment in affected individuals results in some becoming chairbound and others bedbound. Mean disease duration is 9.3 (SD: 6.4) years but is individually variable and can be more than 30 years in some instances. [from GeneReviews]

Mitochondrial complex IV deficiency nuclear type 2 (MC4DN2) is an autosomal recessive multisystem metabolic disorder characterized by the onset of symptoms at birth or in the first weeks or months of life. Affected individuals have severe hypotonia, often associated with feeding difficulties and respiratory insufficiency necessitating tube feeding and mechanical ventilation. The vast majority of patients develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the first days or weeks of life, which usually leads to death in infancy or early childhood. Patients also show neurologic abnormalities, including developmental delay, nystagmus, fasciculations, dystonia, EEG changes, and brain imaging abnormalities compatible with a diagnosis of Leigh syndrome (see 256000). There may also be evidence of systemic involvement with hepatomegaly and myopathy, although neurogenic muscle atrophy is more common and may resemble spinal muscular atrophy type I (SMA1; 253300). Serum lactate is increased, and laboratory studies show decreased mitochondrial complex IV protein and activity levels in various tissues, including heart and skeletal muscle. Most patients die in infancy of cardiorespiratory failure (summary by Papadopoulou et al., 1999). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of mitochondrial complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) deficiency, see 220110. [from OMIM]

Torsion dystonia-6 (DYT6) is an autosomal dominant movement disorder characterized by early involvement of craniofacial muscles with secondary generalization often involving the arms, and laryngeal dystonia that causes speech difficulties (review by Djarmati et al., 2009). Blanchard et al. (2011) provided a review of dystonia-6 and the THAP1 gene. [from OMIM]

SLC6A3-related dopamine transporter deficiency syndrome (DTDS) is a complex movement disorder with a continuum that ranges from classic early-onset DTDS (in the first 6 months) to atypical later-onset DTDS (in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood). Classic DTDS. Infants typically manifest nonspecific findings (irritability, feeding difficulties, axial hypotonia, and/or delayed motor development) followed by a hyperkinetic movement disorder (with features of chorea, dystonia, ballismus, orolingual dyskinesia). Over time, affected individuals develop parkinsonism-dystonia characterized by bradykinesia (progressing to akinesia), dystonic posturing, distal tremor, rigidity, and reduced facial expression. Limitation of voluntary movements leads to severe motor delay. Episodic status dystonicus, exacerbations of dystonia, and secondary orthopedic, gastrointestinal, and respiratory complications are common. Many affected individuals appear to show relative preservation of intellect with good cognitive development. Atypical DTDS. Normal psychomotor development in infancy and early childhood is followed by later-onset manifestations of parkinsonism-dystonia with tremor, progressive bradykinesia, variable tone, and dystonic posturing. The long-term outcome of this form is currently unknown. [from GeneReviews]

Dystonia 16 is one of many forms of dystonia, which is a group of conditions characterized by involuntary movements, twisting (torsion) and tensing of various muscles, and unusual positioning of affected body parts. Dystonia 16 can appear at any age from infancy through adulthood, although it most often begins in childhood.

The signs and symptoms of dystonia 16 vary among people with the condition. In many affected individuals, the disorder first affects muscles in one or both arms or legs. Tensing (contraction) of the muscles often sets the affected limb in an abnormal position, which may be painful and can lead to difficulty performing tasks, such as walking. In others, muscles in the neck are affected first, causing the head to be pulled backward and positioned with the chin in the air (retrocollis).

In dystonia 16, muscles of the jaw, lips, and tongue are also commonly affected (oromandibular dystonia), causing difficulty opening and closing the mouth and problems with swallowing and speech. Speech can also be affected by involuntary tensing of the muscles that control the vocal cords (laryngeal dystonia), resulting in a quiet, breathy voice or an inability to speak clearly. Dystonia 16 gradually gets worse, eventually involving muscles in most parts of the body.

Some people with dystonia 16 develop a pattern of movement abnormalities known as parkinsonism. These abnormalities include unusually slow movement (bradykinesia), muscle rigidity, tremors, and an inability to hold the body upright and balanced (postural instability). In dystonia 16, parkinsonism is relatively mild if it develops at all.

The signs and symptoms of dystonia 16 usually do not get better when treated with drugs that are typically used for movement disorders. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

SLC39A14 deficiency is characterized by evidence between ages six months and three years of delay or loss of motor developmental milestones (e.g., delayed walking, gait disturbance). Early in the disease course, children show axial hypotonia followed by dystonia, spasticity, dysarthria, bulbar dysfunction, and signs of parkinsonism including bradykinesia, hypomimia, and tremor. By the end of the first decade they develop severe, generalized, pharmaco-resistant dystonia, limb contractures, and scoliosis, and lose independent ambulation. Cognitive impairment appears to be less prominent than motor disability. Some affected children have succumbed in their first decade due to secondary complications such as respiratory infections. [from GeneReviews]

DYT-GNAL caused by a heterozygous GNAL pathogenic variant has been reported in more than 60 individuals to date. It is characterized by adult-onset isolated dystonia (i.e., no neurologic abnormalities other than tremor are evident on neurologic examination). The dystonia is most commonly focal and segmental, and rarely generalized. Dystonia is typically cervical in onset and commonly progresses to the cranial region (oromandibular/jaw, larynx, eyelids) and/or to one arm. Tremor reported in DYT-GNAL may be dystonic (i.e., occurring in a body part that shows at least minimal signs of dystonia) and may precede or follow the onset of dystonia. Intra- and interfamilial variability is considerable. DYT-GNAL caused by biallelic GNAL pathogenic variants, reported to date in two sibs from a consanguineous family, is characterized by mild intellectual disability and childhood-onset hypertonia that progresses to generalized dystonia. [from GeneReviews]

Dystonia-4, also known as whispering dysphonia, is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized by onset in the second to third decade of progressive laryngeal dysphonia followed by the involvement of other muscles, such as the neck or limbs. Some patients develop an ataxic gait (summary by Hersheson et al., 2013). [from OMIM]

GNB1 encephalopathy (GNB1-E) is characterized by moderate-to-severe developmental delay / intellectual disability, structural brain abnormalities, and often infantile hypotonia and seizures. Other less common findings include dystonia, reduced vision, behavior issues, growth delay, gastrointestinal (GI) problems, genitourinary (GU) abnormalities in males, and cutaneous mastocytosis. [from GeneReviews]

Dystonia-27 (DYT27) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by onset of segmental isolated dystonia mainly affecting the craniocervical region and upper limbs in the first 2 decades of life (summary by Zech et al., 2015). [from OMIM]

NKX6-2-related disorder is characterized by a spectrum of progressive neurologic manifestations resulting from diffuse central nervous system hypomyelination. At the severe end of the spectrum is neonatal-onset nystagmus, severe spastic tetraplegia with joint contractures and scoliosis, and visual and hearing impairment, all of which rapidly progress resulting in death in early childhood. At the milder end of the spectrum is normal achievement of early motor milestones in the first year of life followed by slowly progressive complex spastic ataxia with pyramidal findings (spasticity with increased muscle tone and difficulty with gait and fine motor coordination) and cerebellar findings (nystagmus, extraocular movement disorder, dysarthria, titubation, and ataxia) with loss of developmental milestones. To date NKX6-2-related disorder has been reported in 25 individuals from 13 families. [from GeneReviews]

Mitochondrial complex IV deficiency nuclear type 11 (MC4DN11) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder characterized by a childhood-onset sensory neuronopathy and additional features which may include hypotonia, cerebellar ataxia, tremor, dystonia, choreoathetosis, and/or dysarthria. Patients may have variable motor delay, speech delay, or impaired intellectual development (summary by Doss et al., 2014; Otero et al., 2019; Xu et al., 2019; Dong et al., 2021). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of mitochondrial complex IV (cytochrome c oxidase) deficiency, see 220110. [from OMIM]

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-29 (DEE29) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of refractory myoclonic seizures in the first months of life. Affected individuals have poor overall growth, congenital microcephaly with cerebral atrophy and impaired myelination on brain imaging, spasticity with abnormal movements, peripheral neuropathy, and poor visual fixation (summary by Simons et al., 2015). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350. [from OMIM]

Parkinson disease-23 is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by young-adult onset of parkinsonism associated with progressive cognitive impairment leading to dementia and dysautonomia. Some individuals have additional motor abnormalities. Affected individuals become severely disabled within a few decades (summary by Lesage et al., 2016). [from OMIM]

A rare genetic isolated dystonia with characteristics of adult-onset non-progressive focal cervical dystonia typically manifesting with torticollis and occasionally accompanied by mild head tremor and essential-type limb tremor. [from SNOMEDCT_US]