The Lafora type of progressive myoclonic epilepsy is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by insidious onset of progressive neurodegeneration between 8 and 18 years of age. Initial features can include headache, difficulties in school work, myoclonic jerks, generalized seizures, and often visual hallucination. The myoclonus, seizures, and hallucinations gradually worsen and become intractable. This is accompanied by progressive cognitive decline, resulting in dementia. About 10 years after onset, affected individuals are in near-continuous myoclonus with absence seizures, frequent generalized seizures, and profound dementia or a vegetative state. Histologic studies of multiple tissues, including brain, muscle, liver, and heart show intracellular Lafora bodies, which are dense accumulations of malformed and insoluble glycogen molecules, termed polyglucosans (review by Ramachandran et al., 2009). There is a slower progression of disease and later age at death in Lafora disease-2 than in Lafora disease-1 (MELF1, EPM2A; 254780); see Genotype/Phenotype Correlations. Myoclonic epilepsy of Lafora-1 is caused by mutation in the EPM2A gene (608072), which encodes laforin, on chromosome 6q24. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of progressive myoclonic epilepsy, see EPM1A (254800).

An extremely rare form of hereditary episodic ataxia with characteristics of recurrent episodes of vertigo and ataxia lasting several hours.

For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of idiopathic generalized epilepsy, see 600669. Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy is a subtype of idiopathic generalized epilepsy; see 254770 for a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of JME.

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

ADNP-related disorder is characterized by hypotonia, severe speech and motor delay, mild-to-severe intellectual disability, and characteristic facial features (prominent forehead, high anterior hairline, wide and depressed nasal bridge, and short nose with full, upturned nasal tip) based on a cohort of 78 individuals. Features of autism spectrum disorder are common (stereotypic behavior, impaired social interaction). Other common findings include additional behavioral problems, sleep disturbance, brain abnormalities, seizures, feeding issues, gastrointestinal problems, visual dysfunction (hypermetropia, strabismus, cortical visual impairment), musculoskeletal anomalies, endocrine issues including short stature and hormonal deficiencies, cardiac and urinary tract anomalies, and hearing loss.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-33 (DEE33) is a neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of various types of seizures in the first months of life. Affected individuals show severe global developmental delay with impaired intellectual development and poor or absent speech (summary by de Ligt et al., 2012). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

A rare genetic, multiple congenital anomalies syndrome characterized by short stature, hand brachydactyly with hypoplastic distal phalanges, global development delay, intellectual disability, and more variably seizures, obesity, and craniofacial dysmorphism that includes microcephaly, high forehead, flat face, hypertelorism, deep set eyes, flat nasal bridge, averted nostrils, long philtrum, thin lip vermilion, and short neck.

Polymicrogyria with or without vascular-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder with a highly variable phenotype. Although all patients have polymicrogyria and other variable structural brain anomalies on imaging, only some show developmental delay and/or seizures. Similarly, only some patients have connective tissue defects that particularly affect the vascular system and can result in early death (summary by Vandervore et al., 2017).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-74 (DEE74) is neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of refractory seizures in the first months of life. Seizure types are variable and include infantile spasms, myoclonic, tonic, atonic, and absence, often with secondary generalization. Affected individuals have severe global developmental delay with hypotonia, severe motor impairment, roving eye movements, and absent language (summary by Shen et al., 2017). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-100 (DEE100) is a severe neurologic disorder characterized by global developmental delay and onset of variable types of seizures in the first months or years of life. Most patients have refractory seizures and show developmental regression after seizure onset. Affected individuals have ataxic gait or inability to walk and severe to profoundly impaired intellectual development, often with absent speech. Additional more variable features may include axial hypotonia, hyperkinetic movements, dysmorphic facial features, and brain imaging abnormalities (summary by Schneider et al., 2021). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-109 (DEE109) is characterized by the onset of various types of seizures in the first months or years of life. Affected individuals show developmental delay before and concurrent with the onset of seizures. Features include impaired intellectual development with poor speech, ataxic gait, coordination problems, and behavioral abnormalities (Manivannan et al., 2022). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Autosomal dominant intellectual developmental disorder-74 (MRD74) is characterized by global developmental delay, including delay of gross and fine motor skills and speech delay, and variable subtle dysmorphic facial features (Niggl et al., 2023).