Pontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH) refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by an abnormally small cerebellum and brainstem. Clinical features vary, but usually include severe developmental delay, dysmorphic features, seizures, and early death (summary by Durmaz et al., 2009). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PCH, see PCH1 (607596).

CHIME syndrome, also known as Zunich neuroectodermal syndrome, is an extremely rare autosomal recessive multisystem disorder clinically characterized by colobomas, congenital heart defects, migratory ichthyosiform dermatosis, mental retardation, and ear anomalies (CHIME). Other clinical features include distinctive facial features, abnormal growth, genitourinary abnormalities, seizures, and feeding difficulties (summary by Ng et al., 2012). The disorder is caused by a defect in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GPI biosynthesis defects, see GPIBD1 (610293).

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia of the Genevieve type (SEMDG) is characterized by infantile-onset severe developmental delay and skeletal dysplasia, including short stature, premature carpal ossification, platyspondyly, longitudinal metaphyseal striations, and small epiphyses (summary by van Karnebeek et al., 2016).

Desmosterolosis is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by multiple congenital anomalies and elevated levels of the cholesterol precursor desmosterol in plasma, tissue, and cultured cells (summary by Waterham et al., 2001).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-5 (DEE5) is a neurologic disorder characterized by global developmental delay and the onset of tonic seizures or infantile spasms in the first months of life. The seizures tend to be refractory to treatment, and EEG shows hypsarrhythmia, consistent with a clinical diagnosis of West syndrome. Affected individuals have severely impaired psychomotor development with lack of visual attention, poor head control, feeding difficulties, microcephaly, and spastic quadriplegia. Brain imaging may show cerebral atrophy and hypomyelination (summary by Saitsu et al., 2010). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy, see 308350.

Pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 8 is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe psychomotor retardation, abnormal movements, hypotonia, spasticity, and variable visual defects. Brain MRI shows pontocerebellar hypoplasia, decreased cerebral white matter, and a thin corpus callosum (summary by Mochida et al., 2012). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PCH, see PCH1 (607596).

Primary microcephaly-10 (MCPH10) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by extremely small head size (-9 SD) at birth and death usually by 1 year of age. Neuropathologic examination shows severe loss of neurons as well as neuronal loss of polarity and abnormal dendritic maturation (summary by Yang et al., 2012). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of primary microcephaly, see MCPH1 (251200).

Asparagine synthetase deficiency (ASD) mainly presents as a triad of congenital microcephaly, severe developmental delay, and axial hypotonia followed by spastic quadriplegia. Low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) asparagine level can help the clinician in differentiating this disorder from others. In most cases age of onset of apnea, excessive irritability, and seizures is soon after birth. Affected individuals typically do not acquire any developmental milestones. Spastic quadriplegia can lead to severe contractures of the limbs and neurogenic scoliosis. Feeding difficulties (gastroesophageal reflux disease, frequent vomiting, swallowing dysfunction, and gastroesophageal incoordination) are a significant problem in most affected individuals. A majority have cortical blindness. MRI findings are nonspecific but may include generalized atrophy and simplified gyral pattern.

An autosomal dominant condition caused by mutation(s) in the TUBB2A gene, encoding tubulin beta-2A chain. It is characterized by cortical dysplasia and is associated with impaired intellectual development, hypotonia, global developmental delay, cortical dysplasia, and dysmorphic corpus callosum.

Smith-Kingsmore syndrome (SKS) is a rare autosomal dominant syndromic intellectual disability syndrome characterized by macrocephaly, seizures, umbilical hernia, and facial dysmorphic features including frontal bossing, midface hypoplasia, small chin, hypertelorism with downslanting palpebral fissures, depressed nasal bridge, smooth philtrum, and thin upper lip (Smith et al., 2013; Baynam et al., 2015).

Hypomyelinating leukodystrophy-10 (HLD10) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by postnatal progressive microcephaly, severely delayed psychomotor development, and hypomyelination on brain imaging (summary by Nakayama et al., 2015). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of HLD, see 312080.

Intellectual developmental disorder with dysmorphic facies and ptosis (IDDDFP) is an autosomal dominant neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by delayed psychomotor development, intellectual disability, delayed language, and dysmorphic facial features, most notably ptosis/blepharophimosis. Additional features may include poor growth, hypotonia, and seizures (summary by Mattioli et al., 2017). See also chromosome 3p deletion syndrome (613792).

Any primary immunodeficiency disease in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the BCL11B gene.

Shashi-Pena syndrome is a neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by delayed psychomotor development, variable intellectual disability, hypotonia, facial dysmorphism, and some unusual features, including enlarged head circumference, glabellar nevus flammeus, and deep palmar creases. Some patients may also have atrial septal defect, episodic hypoglycemia, changes in bone mineral density, and/or seizures (summary by Shashi et al., 2016).

RERE-related disorders are characterized by neurodevelopmental problems with or without structural anomalies of the eyes, heart, kidneys, and genitourinary tract and mild sensorineural hearing loss. Hypotonia and feeding problems are common among affected individuals. Developmental delay and intellectual disability range from mild to profound. Behavior problems may include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, self-injurious behavior, and autism spectrum disorder. A variety of eye anomalies (coloboma, optic nerve anomalies, microphthalmia, and/or Peter's anomaly) and vision issues (myopia, anisometropia, astigmatism, exotropia, esotropia) have been reported. Congenital heart defects, most commonly septal defects, have also been described. Genitourinary abnormalities include vesicoureteral reflux, and cryptorchidism and hypospadias in males. Sensorineural hearing loss can be unilateral or bilateral.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-91 (DEE91) is characterized by delayed psychomotor development apparent in infancy and resulting in severely to profoundly impaired intellectual development with poor or absent speech. Most patients never achieve independent walking. Patients typically have onset of refractory multifocal seizures between the first weeks and years of life, and some may show developmental regression. Additional features, such as hypotonia and cortical visual impairment, are more variable (summary by Myers et al., 2017). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-57 (DEE57) is a neurologic disorder characterized by global developmental delay with hypotonia, variably impaired intellectual development, and poor or absent language. Affected individuals have onset of refractory multifocal seizures in the first days or months of life, and may show developmental regression. EEG patterns include hypsarrhythmia, suggesting a clinical diagnosis of West syndrome, background slowing, and epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS). Some patients may have mild dysmorphic features (summary by Ambrosino et al., 2018 and Mao et al., 2020). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

NDAGSCW is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severely delayed psychomotor development apparent from infancy. Affected individuals have delayed and difficulty walking, intellectual disability, absent speech, and variable additional features, including hip dysplasia, tapering fingers, and seizures. Brain imaging shows decreased cortical white matter, often with decreased cerebellar white matter, thin corpus callosum, and thin brainstem (summary by Lamers et al., 2017).

El-Hattab-Alkuraya syndrome is characterized by microcephaly (often early onset and progressive); severe-to-profound developmental delay; refractory and early-onset seizures; spastic quadriplegia with axial hypotonia; and growth deficiency with poor weight gain and short stature. Characteristic findings on brain imaging include cerebral atrophy that is disproportionately most prominent in the frontal lobes; ex vacuo ventricular dilatation with notable posterior horn predominance; brain stem volume loss with flattening of the belly of the pons; and symmetric under-opercularization. Neurologic involvement is progressive, with significant morbidity and mortality.

Neurodevelopmental disorder with spasticity and poor growth (NEDSG) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe early-onset encephalopathy with progressive microcephaly (Nahorski et al., 2018).

Complex cortical dysplasia with other brain malformations-9 is a severe autosomal recessive disorder characterized by profoundly impaired motor and cognitive development apparent from early infancy. Affected individuals develop intractable seizures and are unable to speak or ambulate. Brain imaging shows pachygyria as well as hypogenesis of the corpus callosum and other variable brain abnormalities. The phenotype results from impaired cortical neuronal migration (summary by Schaffer et al., 2018). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CDCBM, see CDCBM1 (614039).

Periventricular nodular heterotopia-8 (PVNH8) is a neurologic disorder characterized by abnormal neuronal migration during brain development, resulting in delayed psychomotor development. Three patients have been reported (Ge et al., 2016). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of periventricular heterotopia, see PVNH1 (300049).

Pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 10 is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder characterized by severely delayed psychomotor development, progressive microcephaly, spasticity, seizures, and brain abnormalities, including brain atrophy and delayed myelination. Some patients have dysmorphic features and an axonal sensorimotor neuropathy (summary by Karaca et al., 2014 and Schaffer et al., 2014). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PCH, see PCH1 (607596).

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.

Early-onset neurodegeneration with choreoathetoid movements and microcytic anemia (NDCAMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe psychomotor developmental abnormalities, abnormal movements, and functional iron deficiency (Costain et al., 2019).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with facial dysmorphism, absent language, and pseudo-Pelger-Huet anomaly (NEDFLPH) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by global developmental delay with severely impaired intellectual development. Affected individuals often have behavioral abnormalities and may have variable findings on brain imaging, such as thin corpus callosum. Laboratory studies show nuclear lobulation defects in a subset of neutrophils, indicating a pseudo-Pelger-Huet anomaly (see 169400) and suggesting defects in the integrity of the nuclear envelope, where TMEM147 localizes (Thomas et al., 2022).

Complex cortical dysplasia with other brain malformations-11 (CDCBM11) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by dilated ventricles and reduced white matter and associated with axonal developmental defects (Qian et al., 2022). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of CDCBM, see CDCBM1 (614039).

Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-57 (COXPD57) is an autosomal recessive multisystem mitochondrial disease with varying degrees of severity from premature death in infancy to permanent disability in young adulthood (Lee et al., 2022). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency, see COXPD1 (609060).

X-linked intellectual developmental disorder-111 (XLID111) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by different degrees of impaired intellectual development associated with motor, speech, and behavioral impairments (El Chehadeh et al., 2022).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with microcephaly and speech delay, with or without brain abnormalities (NEDMSBA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by global developmental delay, hypotonia, delayed or absent walking, impaired intellectual development, and poor or absent speech, apparent from early infancy. Affected individuals have postnatal progressive microcephaly and may show poor overall growth and dysmorphic facial features. Additional more variable features include cortical visual impairment, seizures, hypotonia, spasticity, and sensorineural deafness. Brain imaging is abnormal in most patients, showing myelination defects, cortical atrophy, or thin corpus callosum. There is phenotypic variability, even within families (Bogershausen et al., 2022; Lin et al., 2022).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-31B (DEE31B) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder with early-onset epilepsy, generalized muscular hypotonia, visual impairment, and severe neurodevelopmental delay (Yigit et al., 2022).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, and spasticity (NEDIHSS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by prenatal or neonatal onset of intracranial hemorrhage, usually with ventriculomegaly and calcifications, resulting in parenchymal brain damage. Some affected individuals have symptoms incompatible with life and die in utero. Those that survive show profound global developmental delay with almost no motor or cognitive skills, hypotonia, spasticity, and seizures. Other features may include facial dysmorphism, retinal vascular abnormalities, and poor overall growth. The pathogenesis of the disease likely results from dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells in the brain (Lecca et al., 2023).

Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation-9 (NBIA9) is characterized by global developmental delay apparent from infancy and progressive neurodegeneration of motor and cognitive skills. Affected individuals have delayed walking or inability to walk, spasticity with hyperreflexia, ataxia, dystonia, and poor or absent language. Additional more variable features include dysphagia, failure to thrive, poor growth, microcephaly, hypotonia, impaired vision, and seizures. Brain imaging shows progressive cerebral and cerebellar atrophy, iron accumulation in the basal ganglia, thin corpus callosum, and pontocerebellar hypoplasia. The disorder can be classified as a neuroferritinopathy (see NBIA3, 606159) (Shieh et al., 2023). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of NBIA, see NBIA1 (234200).