Arylsulfatase A deficiency (also known as metachromatic leukodystrophy or MLD) is characterized by three clinical subtypes: late-infantile MLD, juvenile MLD, and adult MLD. Age of onset within a family is usually similar. The disease course may be from several years in the late-infantile-onset form to decades in the juvenile- and adult-onset forms. Late-infantile MLD. Onset is before age 30 months. Typical presenting findings include weakness, hypotonia, clumsiness, frequent falls, toe walking, and dysarthria. As the disease progresses, language, cognitive, and gross and fine motor skills regress. Later signs include spasticity, pain, seizures, and compromised vision and hearing. In the final stages, children have tonic spasms, decerebrate posturing, and general unawareness of their surroundings. Juvenile MLD. Onset is between age 30 months and 16 years. Initial manifestations include decline in school performance and emergence of behavioral problems, followed by gait disturbances. Progression is similar to but slower than in the late-infantile form. Adult MLD. Onset occurs after age 16 years, sometimes not until the fourth or fifth decade. Initial signs can include problems in school or job performance, personality changes, emotional lability, or psychosis; in others, neurologic symptoms (weakness and loss of coordination progressing to spasticity and incontinence) or seizures initially predominate. Peripheral neuropathy is common. Disease course is variable – with periods of stability interspersed with periods of decline – and may extend over two to three decades. The final stage is similar to earlier-onset forms.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) affects the nervous system white matter and the adrenal cortex. Three main phenotypes are seen in affected males: The childhood cerebral form manifests most commonly between ages four and eight years. It initially resembles attention-deficit disorder or hyperactivity; progressive impairment of cognition, behavior, vision, hearing, and motor function follow the initial symptoms and often lead to total disability within six months to two years. Most individuals have impaired adrenocortical function at the time that neurologic disturbances are first noted. Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) manifests most commonly in an individual in his twenties or middle age as progressive stiffness and weakness of the legs, sphincter disturbances, sexual dysfunction, and often, impaired adrenocortical function; all symptoms are progressive over decades. "Addison disease only" presents with primary adrenocortical insufficiency between age two years and adulthood and most commonly by age 7.5 years, without evidence of neurologic abnormality; however, some degree of neurologic disability (most commonly AMN) usually develops by middle age. More than 20% of female carriers develop mild-to-moderate spastic paraparesis in middle age or later. Adrenal function is usually normal.

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA lyase deficiency (HMGCLD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder with the cardinal manifestations of metabolic acidosis without ketonuria, hypoglycemia, and a characteristic pattern of elevated urinary organic acid metabolites, including 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaric, 3-methylglutaric, and 3-hydroxyisovaleric acids. Urinary levels of 3-methylcrotonylglycine may be increased. Dicarboxylic aciduria, hepatomegaly, and hyperammonemia may also be observed. Presenting clinical signs include irritability, lethargy, coma, and vomiting (summary by Gibson et al., 1988).

3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase deficiency is an inherited condition that causes neurological problems. Beginning in infancy to early childhood, children with this condition often have delayed development of mental and motor skills (psychomotor delay), speech delay, involuntary muscle cramping (dystonia), and spasms and weakness of the arms and legs (spastic quadriparesis). Affected individuals can also have optic atrophy, which is the breakdown (atrophy) of nerve cells that carry visual information from the eyes to the brain.\n\nIn some cases, signs and symptoms of 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase deficiency begin in adulthood, often in a person's twenties or thirties. These individuals have damage to a type of brain tissue called white matter (leukoencephalopathy). This damage likely contributes to progressive problems with speech (dysarthria), difficulty coordinating movements (ataxia), stiffness (spasticity), optic atrophy, and a decline in intellectual function (dementia).\n\nAffected individuals who show symptoms of 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase deficiency in childhood often go on to develop leukoencephalopathy and other neurological problems in adulthood.\n\nAll people with 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase deficiency accumulate large amounts of a substance called 3-methylglutaconic acid in their body fluids. As a result, they have elevated levels of acid in their blood (metabolic acidosis) and excrete large amounts of acid in their urine (aciduria). 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase deficiency is one of a group of metabolic disorders that can be diagnosed by the presence of increased levels 3-methylglutaconic acid in urine (3-methylglutaconic aciduria). People with 3-methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase deficiency also have high urine levels of another acid called 3-methylglutaric acid.

Most infants with short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (SCADD) identified through newborn screening programs have remained well, and asymptomatic relatives who meet diagnostic criteria are reported. Thus, SCADD is now viewed as a biochemical phenotype rather than a disease. A broad range of clinical findings was originally reported in those with confirmed SCADD, including severe dysmorphic facial features, feeding difficulties / failure to thrive, metabolic acidosis, ketotic hypoglycemia, lethargy, developmental delay, seizures, hypotonia, dystonia, and myopathy. However, individuals with no symptoms were also reported. In a large series of affected individuals detected on metabolic evaluation for developmental delay, 20% had failure to thrive, feeding difficulties, and hypotonia; 22% had seizures; and 30% had hypotonia without seizures. In contrast, the majority of infants with SCADD have been detected by expanded newborn screening, and the great majority of these infants remain asymptomatic. As with other fatty acid oxidation deficiencies, characteristic biochemical findings of SCADD may be absent except during times of physiologic stress such as fasting and illness. A diagnosis of SCADD based on clinical findings should not preclude additional testing to look for other causes.

Dihydropyrimidinase deficiency (DPYSD) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by the presence of dihydropyrimidinuria. The clinical phenotype is highly variable, ranging from early infantile onset of severe neurologic involvement, dysmorphic features, and feeding problems to late onset of mild intellectual disability and even asymptomatic individuals. Patients with a complete or partial deficiency have an increased risk of developing severe toxicity after administration of the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (summary by Nakajima et al., 2017). See also dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency (274270), a similar disorder.

GJB1 disorders are typically characterized by peripheral motor and sensory neuropathy with or without fixed CNS abnormalities and/or acute, self-limited episodes of transient neurologic dysfunction (especially weakness and dysarthria). Peripheral neuropathy typically manifests in affected males between ages five and 25 years. Although both men and women are affected, manifestations tend to be less severe in women, some of whom may remain asymptomatic. Less commonly, initial manifestations in some affected individuals are stroke-like episodes (acute fulminant episodes of reversible CNS dysfunction).

Monosomy 18q is a partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 18 characterized by highly variable phenotype, most commonly including hypotonia, developmental delay, short stature, growth hormone deficiency, hearing loss and external ear anomalies, intellectual disability, palatal defects, dysmorphic facial features, skeletal anomalies (foot deformities, tapering fingers, scoliosis) and mood disorders.

Kumar-type X-linked syndromic intellectual developmental disorder (MRXSK) is an X-linked recessive disorder that shows phenotypic variability and multisystem involvement apparent from birth or early infancy. Most affected individuals are male, although 1 severely affected girl with a de novo THOC2 mutation has been reported. At the severe end of the spectrum, affected individuals have hypotonia, neonatal difficulties, failure to thrive with poor overall growth, feeding difficulties, respiratory insufficiency, visual impairment, profoundly impaired intellectual development with poor or absent speech, and motor abnormalities, such as inability to walk and hyperkinetic movements. Less severely affected individuals have mildly to moderately impaired intellectual development and speech delay. Additional features include behavioral abnormalities, hearing or visual defects, seizures, dysmorphic facial features, and brain imaging abnormalities (Kumar et al., 2015; Kumar et al., 2018; Kumar et al., 2020).

Oculodentodigital dysplasia (ODDD) is characterized by a typical facial appearance and variable involvement of the eyes, dentition, and fingers. Characteristic facial features include a narrow, pinched nose with hypoplastic alae nasi, prominent columella and thin anteverted nares together with a narrow nasal bridge, and prominent epicanthic folds giving the impression of hypertelorism. The teeth are usually small and carious. Typical eye findings include microphthalmia and microcornea. The characteristic digital malformation is complete syndactyly of the fourth and fifth fingers (syndactyly type III) but the third finger may be involved and associated camptodactyly is a common finding (summary by Judisch et al., 1979). Neurologic abnormalities are sometimes associated (Gutmann et al., 1991), and lymphedema has been reported in some patients with ODDD (Brice et al., 2013). See review by De Bock et al. (2013). Genetic Heterogeneity of Oculodentodigital Syndrome An autosomal recessive form of ODDD (257850) is also caused by mutation in the GJA1 gene, but the majority of cases are autosomal dominant.

SAMD9L ataxia-pancytopenia (ATXPC) syndrome is characterized by cerebellar ataxia, variable hematologic cytopenias, and predisposition to marrow failure, myelodysplasia, and myeloid leukemia, sometimes associated with monosomy 7. The onset of hematologic abnormalities has been reported as early as age three months. The cytopenias in all cell lineages range from mild to very severe. Onset of neurologic impairment is variable. Nystagmus, dysmetria, increased deep tendon reflexes, and clonus are common. Gait impairment and other neurologic abnormalities are slowly progressive.

Most characteristically, Aicardi-Goutières syndrome (AGS) manifests as an early-onset encephalopathy that usually, but not always, results in severe intellectual and physical disability. A subgroup of infants with AGS present at birth with abnormal neurologic findings, hepatosplenomegaly, elevated liver enzymes, and thrombocytopenia, a picture highly suggestive of congenital infection. Otherwise, most affected infants present at variable times after the first few weeks of life, frequently after a period of apparently normal development. Typically, they demonstrate the subacute onset of a severe encephalopathy characterized by extreme irritability, intermittent sterile pyrexias, loss of skills, and slowing of head growth. Over time, as many as 40% develop chilblain skin lesions on the fingers, toes, and ears. It is becoming apparent that atypical, sometimes milder, cases of AGS exist, and thus the true extent of the phenotype associated with pathogenic variants in the AGS-related genes is not yet known.

Spinocerebellar ataxia-25 (SCA25) is an autosomal dominant neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of lower limb ataxia resulting in gait difficulties in the first few decades of life, although later onset has been reported. Affected individuals often have upper limb involvement, dysarthria, scoliosis, abnormal eye movements, and sensory neuropathy with decreased reflexes. Some patients have sensorineural hearing loss. Brain imaging shows cerebellar atrophy. There is incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity, even within families (Barbier et al., 2022). For a general discussion of autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia, see SCA1 (164400).

The Cabezas type of X-linked syndromic intellectual developmental disorder is characterized primarily by short stature, hypogonadism, and abnormal gait, with other more variable features such as speech delay, prominent lower lip, and tremor (Cabezas et al., 2000).

VPS13D movement disorder is a hyperkinetic movement disorder (dystonia, chorea, and/or ataxia) of variable age of onset that can be associated with developmental delay. Onset ranges from birth to adulthood. Individuals can present in childhood with motor delays and gait instability. Cognitive impairment ranging from mild intellectual disability to developmental delay has been reported, and several individuals have normal cognitive function. Individuals have also presented as young adults with gait difficulties caused by spastic ataxia or ataxia. In addition to gait ataxia, affected individuals had limb ataxia, dysarthria, and eye movement abnormalities (macro-saccadic oscillations, nystagmus, and saccadic pursuit). Additional features reported in some individuals include peripheral neuropathy and/or seizures. The disorder progresses to spastic ataxia or generalized dystonia, which can lead to loss of independent ambulation.

MDDGB5 is an autosomal recessive congenital muscular dystrophy with impaired intellectual development and structural brain abnormalities (Brockington et al., 2001). It is part of a group of similar disorders resulting from defective glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan (DAG1; 128239), collectively known as 'dystroglycanopathies' (Mercuri et al., 2006). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy type B, see MDDGB1 (613155).

TSEN54 pontocerebellar hypoplasia (TSEN54-PCH) comprises three PCH phenotypes (PCH2, 4, and 5) that share characteristic neuroradiologic and neurologic findings. The three PCH phenotypes (which differ mainly in life expectancy) were considered to be distinct entities before their molecular basis was known. PCH2. Children usually succumb before age ten years (those with PCH4 and 5 usually succumb as neonates). Children with PCH2 have generalized clonus, uncoordinated sucking and swallowing, impaired cognitive development, lack of voluntary motor development, cortical blindness, and an increased risk for rhabdomyolysis during severe infections. Epilepsy is present in approximately 50%. PCH4. Neonates often have seizures, multiple joint contractures ("arthrogryposis"), generalized clonus, and central respiratory impairment. PCH5 resembles PCH4 and has been described in one family.

Most individuals with classic GBE1 adult polyglucosan body disease (GBE1-APBD) present after age 40 years with unexplained progressive neurogenic bladder, gait difficulties (i.e., spasticity and weakness) from mixed upper and lower motor neuron involvement, sensory loss predominantly in the distal lower extremities, autonomic dysfunction (associated with orthostatic hypotension and constipation), and mild cognitive difficulties (often executive dysfunction). Some affected individuals without classic GBE1-APBD have atypical phenotypes including Alzheimer disease-like dementia and axonal neuropathy, stroke-like episodes, and diaphragmatic failure; others may have a history of infantile liver disease.

Autosomal recessive juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-5 (ALS5) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by onset of upper and lower motor neuron signs before age 25. Affected individuals have progressive spasticity of limb and facial muscles associated with distal amyotrophy. The disorder is slowly progressive, with cases of prolonged survival of more than 3 decades (summary by Orlacchio et al., 2010). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), see ALS1 (105400).

Any autosomal recessive non-syndromic intellectual disability in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the TRAPPC9 gene.

MDDGB4 is a rare autosomal recessive congenital muscular dystrophy that is part of a group of similar disorders resulting from defective glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan (DAG1; 128239), collectively known as 'dystroglycanopathies.' In contrast to most dystroglycanopathies, impaired intellectual development is not a feature of MDDGB4 (Godfrey et al., 2007). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy type B, see MDDGB1 (613155).

Congenital muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy with brain and eye anomalies (type A), which includes both the more severe Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS) and the slightly less severe muscle-eye-brain disease (MEB), is an autosomal recessive disorder with characteristic brain and eye malformations, profound mental retardation, congenital muscular dystrophy, and death usually in the first years of life. It represents the most severe end of a phenotypic spectrum of similar disorders resulting from defective glycosylation of DAG1 (128239), collectively known as 'dystroglycanopathies' (Beltran-Valero de Bernabe et al., 2004). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy type A, see MDDGA1 (236670).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with hypotonia, stereotypic hand movements, and impaired language (NEDHSIL) is characterized by global developmental delay with hypotonia, poor motor development with limited walking, impaired intellectual development with poor or absent speech, and behavioral abnormalities. Almost all affected individuals demonstrate repetitive stereotypic hand movements that can be categorized as hyperkinetic and resembling those of Rett syndrome (RTT; 312750). About 80% of patients develop various types of seizures that may be refractory to treatment. Additional features may include dysmorphic facial features, particularly dysplastic ears, poor eye contact, episodic hyperventilation, tendency to infection, and abnormalities on brain imaging, such as enlarged ventricles, thin corpus callosum, and delayed myelination (summary by Vrecar et al., 2017, Paciorkowski et al., 2013).

POLG-related disorders comprise a continuum of overlapping phenotypes that were clinically defined long before their molecular basis was known. Most affected individuals have some, but not all, of the features of a given phenotype; nonetheless, the following nomenclature can assist the clinician in diagnosis and management. Onset of the POLG-related disorders ranges from infancy to late adulthood. Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome (AHS), one of the most severe phenotypes, is characterized by childhood-onset progressive and ultimately severe encephalopathy with intractable epilepsy and hepatic failure. Childhood myocerebrohepatopathy spectrum (MCHS) presents between the first few months of life and about age three years with developmental delay or dementia, lactic acidosis, and a myopathy with failure to thrive. Other findings can include liver failure, renal tubular acidosis, pancreatitis, cyclic vomiting, and hearing loss. Myoclonic epilepsy myopathy sensory ataxia (MEMSA) now describes the spectrum of disorders with epilepsy, myopathy, and ataxia without ophthalmoplegia. MEMSA now includes the disorders previously described as spinocerebellar ataxia with epilepsy (SCAE). The ataxia neuropathy spectrum (ANS) includes the phenotypes previously referred to as mitochondrial recessive ataxia syndrome (MIRAS) and sensory ataxia neuropathy dysarthria and ophthalmoplegia (SANDO). About 90% of persons in the ANS have ataxia and neuropathy as core features. Approximately two thirds develop seizures and almost one half develop ophthalmoplegia; clinical myopathy is rare. Autosomal recessive progressive external ophthalmoplegia (arPEO) is characterized by progressive weakness of the extraocular eye muscles resulting in ptosis and ophthalmoparesis (or paresis of the extraocular muscles) without associated systemic involvement; however, caution is advised because many individuals with apparently isolated arPEO at the onset develop other manifestations of POLG-related disorders over years or decades. Of note, in the ANS spectrum the neuropathy commonly precedes the onset of PEO by years to decades. Autosomal dominant progressive external ophthalmoplegia (adPEO) typically includes a generalized myopathy and often variable degrees of sensorineural hearing loss, axonal neuropathy, ataxia, depression, parkinsonism, hypogonadism, and cataracts (in what has been called "chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia plus," or "CPEO+").

Multiple congenital anomalies-hypotonia-seizures syndrome-2 (MCAHS2) is an X-linked recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by dysmorphic features, neonatal hypotonia, early-onset myoclonic seizures, and variable congenital anomalies involving the central nervous, cardiac, and urinary systems. Some affected individuals die in infancy (summary by Johnston et al., 2012). The phenotype shows clinical variability with regard to severity and extraneurologic features. However, most patients present in infancy with early-onset epileptic encephalopathy associated with developmental arrest and subsequent severe neurologic disability; these features are consistent with a form of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) (summary by Belet et al., 2014, Kato et al., 2014). The disorder is caused by a defect in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of MCAHS, see MCAHS1 (614080). For a discussion of nomenclature and genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GPI biosynthesis defects, see GPIBD1 (610293).

The Zaki-Gleeson syndrome is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by profound mental retardation, severe microcephaly, poor growth, cerebellar hypoplasia, and second-degree cardiac conduction defects (Zaki et al., 2011).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with hypotonia, craniofacial abnormalities, and seizures (NEDHCS) is an autosomal recessive syndrome characterized primarily by hypotonia and poor feeding apparent in early infancy. Affected individuals have severe global developmental delay, early-onset intractable seizures, and recognizable craniofacial dysmorphism with skull abnormalities. The disorder is believed to be unique to the Amish population, where it exhibits a founder effect (summary by Ammous et al., 2021).

Infantile cerebellar-retinal degeneration (ICRD) is a severe autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by onset between ages 2 and 6 months of truncal hypotonia, athetosis, seizures, and ophthalmologic abnormalities, particularly optic atrophy and retinal degeneration. Affected individuals show profound psychomotor retardation, with only some achieving rolling, sitting, or recognition of family. Brain MRI shows progressive cerebral and cerebellar degeneration (summary by Spiegel et al., 2012). A subset of patients may have a milder phenotype with variable features, including ataxia, developmental delay, and behavioral abnormalities (Blackburn et al., 2020). Mutation in the ACO2 gene also causes isolated optic atrophy (OPA9; 616289).

Spastic paraplegia-56 with or without pseudoxanthoma elasticum (SPG56) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by early-onset progressive lower-limb spasticity resulting in walking difficulties. Upper limbs are often also affected, and some patients may have a subclinical axonal neuropathy (summary by Tesson et al., 2012). Some patients also have pseudoxanthoma elasticum (Legrand et al., 2021). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia, see 270800.

CDG2K is an autosomal recessive disorder with a variable phenotype. Affected individuals show psychomotor retardation and growth retardation, and most have short stature. Other features include dysmorphism, hypotonia, eye abnormalities, acquired microcephaly, hepatomegaly, and skeletal dysplasia. Serum transferrin analysis shows a CDG type II pattern (summary by Foulquier et al., 2012). For a general discussion of CDGs, see CDG1A (212065) and CDG2A (212066).

The overlapping phenotypes of neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy (NALD) and infantile Refsum disease (IRD) represent the milder manifestations of the Zellweger syndrome spectrum (ZSS) of peroxisome biogenesis disorders. The clinical course of patients with the NALD and IRD presentation is variable and may include developmental delay, hypotonia, liver dysfunction, sensorineural hearing loss, retinal dystrophy, and visual impairment. Children with the NALD presentation may reach their teens, and those with the IRD presentation may reach adulthood. Some patients with PEX10 mutations have a milder disorder characterized by childhood-onset cerebellar ataxia and neuropathy without mental retardation (summary by Waterham and Ebberink, 2012). For a complete phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PBD(NALD/IRD), see 601539. Individuals with mutations in the PEX10 gene have cells of complementation group 7 (CG7, equivalent to CGB). For information on the history of PBD complementation groups, see 214100.

The overlapping phenotypes of neonatal adrenoleukodystrophy (NALD) and infantile Refsum disease (IRD) represent the milder manifestations of the Zellweger syndrome spectrum (ZSS) of peroxisome biogenesis disorders. The clinical course of patients with the NALD and IRD presentation is variable and may include developmental delay, hypotonia, liver dysfunction, sensorineural hearing loss, retinal dystrophy, and visual impairment. Children with the NALD presentation may reach their teens, and those with the IRD presentation may reach adulthood (summary by Waterham and Ebberink, 2012). For a complete phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PBD(NALD/IRD), see 601539. Individuals with mutations in the PEX16 gene have cells of complementation group 9 (CG9, equivalent to CGD). For information on the history of PBD complementation groups, see 214100.

Lissencephaly-5 (LIS5) is an autosomal recessive brain malformation characterized by cobblestone changes in the cortex, more severe in the posterior region, and subcortical band heterotopia. Affected individuals have hydrocephalus, seizures, and severely delayed psychomotor development (Radmanesh et al., 2013). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of lissencephaly, see LIS1 (607432).

Congenital muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy with brain and eye anomalies (type A) is a autosomal recessive disorder associated with severe neurologic defects and resulting in early infantile death. The phenotype includes the alternative clinical designations Walker-Warburg syndrome (WWS) and muscle-eye-brain disease (MEB). The disorder represents the most severe end of a phenotypic spectrum of similar disorders resulting from defective glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan (DAG1; 128239), collectively known as dystroglycanopathies (summary by Buysse et al., 2013). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of muscular dystrophy-dystroglycanopathy type A, see MDDGA1 (236670).

FBXL4-related encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome is a multi-system disorder characterized primarily by congenital or early-onset lactic acidosis and growth failure, feeding difficulty, hypotonia, and developmental delay. Other neurologic manifestations can include seizures, movement disorders, ataxia, autonomic dysfunction, and stroke-like episodes. All affected individuals alive at the time they were reported (median age: 3.5 years) demonstrated significant developmental delay. Other findings can involve the heart (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital heart malformations, arrhythmias), liver (mildly elevated transaminases), eyes (cataract, strabismus, nystagmus, optic atrophy), hearing (sensorineural hearing loss), and bone marrow (neutropenia, lymphopenia). Survival varies; the median age of reported deaths was two years (range 2 days – 75 months), although surviving individuals as old as 36 years have been reported. To date FBXL4-related mtDNA depletion syndrome has been reported in 50 individuals.

Spastic paraplegia-64 (SPG64) is a neurologic disorder characterized by childhood onset of progressive spastic paraplegia with impaired intellectual development, gait impairment, dysarthria, and white matter abnormalities on brain imaging. Some individuals show neurocognitive regression (Calame et al., 2022). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of autosomal recessive SPG, see SPG5A (270800).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-25 with amelogenesis imperfecta (DEE25) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of refractory seizures in early infancy. Most patients present with seizures in the neonatal period, which is often associated with status epilepticus. However, there is phenotypic variability, and some patients have onset of seizures later in infancy. Affected individuals show global developmental delay with intellectual disability and poor speech and communication. The seizures may remit somewhat with age, but there are persistent neurologic symptoms, including ataxia, spasticity, and abnormal involuntary movements. In addition to neurologic deficits, patients also have dental anomalies with amelogenesis imperfecta (summary by Thevenon et al., 2014 and Schossig et al., 2017). For a general phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350.

Takenouchi-Kosaki syndrome is a highly heterogeneous autosomal dominant complex congenital developmental disorder affecting multiple organ systems. The core phenotype includes delayed psychomotor development with variable intellectual disability, dysmorphic facial features, and cardiac, genitourinary, and hematologic or lymphatic defects, including thrombocytopenia and lymphedema. Additional features may include abnormalities on brain imaging, skeletal anomalies, and recurrent infections. Some patients have a milder disease course reminiscent of Noonan syndrome (see, e.g., NS1, 163950) (summary by Martinelli et al., 2018).

Spastic tetraplegia, thin corpus callosum, and progressive microcephaly is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by onset of those features and severely impaired global development in early infancy. Most patients are unable to achieve independent walking or speech; some patients have seizures (summary by Srour et al., 2015 and Heimer et al., 2015).

Lipoyl transferase 1 deficiency is a very rare inborn error of metabolism disorder, with a highly variable phenotype, typically characterized by neonatal to infancy-onset of seizures, psychomotor delay, and abnormal muscle tone that may include hypo- and/or hypertonia, resulting in generalized weakness, dystonic movements, and/or progressive respiratory distress, associated with severe lactic acidosis and elevated lactate, ketoglutarate and 2-oxoacids in urine. Additional manifestations may include dehydration, vomiting, signs of liver dysfunction, extrapyramidal signs, spastic tetraparesis, brisk deep tendon reflexes, speech impairment, swallowing difficulties, and pulmonary hypertension.

ZTTK syndrome (ZTTKS) is a severe multisystem developmental disorder characterized by delayed psychomotor development and intellectual disability. Affected individuals have characteristic dysmorphic facial features, hypotonia, poor feeding, poor overall growth, and eye or visual abnormalities. Most patients also have musculoskeletal abnormalities, and some have congenital defects of the heart and urogenital system. Brain imaging usually shows developmental abnormalities such as gyral changes, cortical and/or cerebellar atrophy, and thin corpus callosum (summary by Kim et al., 2016).

NMIHBA is a severe autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorder characterized by global developmental delay apparent from infancy and profoundly impaired intellectual development. Affected individuals have microcephaly with accompanying dysmorphic features, truncal hypotonia, peripheral spasticity, and lack of independent ambulation or speech acquisition. Brain imaging shows variable abnormalities, including cortical atrophy, thin corpus callosum, cerebellar hypoplasia, and delayed myelination (summary by Zollo et al., 2017).

SPTBN4 disorder is typically characterized by severe-to-profound developmental delay and/or intellectual disability, although two individuals in one family had a milder phenotype, including one individual with normal cognitive development. Speech and language skills are often severely limited. Affected individuals rarely achieve head control. Most are unable to sit, stand, or walk. Affected individuals typically have congenital hypotonia that may transition to hypertonia. Axonal motor neuropathy leads to hyporeflexia/areflexia and weakness, which can result in respiratory difficulties requiring ventilatory support. Most affected individuals require tube feeding for nutrition. Half of affected individuals develop seizures. Cortical visual impairment and auditory neuropathy have also been reported.

3-Methylglutaconic aciduria type IX (MGCA9) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset seizures, severely delayed psychomotor development and intellectual disability. Patients have hypotonia or spasticity, and laboratory investigations show increased serum lactate and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, suggestive of a mitochondrial defect (summary by Shahrour et al., 2017). For a phenotypic description and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, see MGCA type I (250950).

NEDDFL is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by delayed psychomotor development and impaired intellectual development, poor growth with small head size, dysmorphic facial features, and mild abnormalities of the hands and feet (summary by Stankiewicz et al., 2017).

SCN3A-related neurodevelopmental disorder (SCN3A-ND) encompasses a spectrum of clinical severity associated with epilepsy and/or brain malformation. Affected individuals may have (a) developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) (i.e., intractable seizures with developmental delays associated with ongoing epileptiform EEG activity) with or without malformations of cortical development; or (b) malformations of cortical development with or without mild focal epilepsy. Some degree of early childhood developmental delay is seen in all affected individuals; the severity varies widely, ranging from isolated speech delay to severe developmental delay. Infantile hypotonia is common but may be mild or absent in those without DEE. In those with DEE, seizure onset is typically in the first six to 12 months of life. A variety of seizure types have been described. Seizures remain intractable to multiple anti-seizure medications in approximately 50% of individuals with DEE without malformations of cortical development (MCD) and in 90% of individuals with DEE and MCD. Seizures may be absent or infrequent in those without DEE. Brain MRI findings range from normal to showing thinning or hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, to various malformations of cortical development. Autonomic dysregulation, oromotor dysfunction leading to the need for gastrostomy tube placement, progressive microcephaly, hyperkinetic movement disorder, and cortical visual impairment can also be seen in those with DEE.

A rare mitochondrial disease due to a defect in mitochondrial protein synthesis with onset in infancy or early childhood of muscular hypotonia, gait ataxia, mild bilateral pyramidal tract signs, developmental delay (affecting mostly speech and coordination) and subsequent intellectual disability. Short stature, obesity, microcephaly, strabismus, nystagmus, reduced visual acuity, lactic acidosis, and a brain neuropathology consistent with Leigh syndrome are also reported. Caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutation in the MTFMT gene on chromosome 15q22.

The clinical manifestations of LAMA2 muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-MD) comprise a continuous spectrum ranging from severe congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A (MDC1A) to milder late-onset LAMA2-MD. MDC1A is typically characterized by neonatal profound hypotonia, poor spontaneous movements, and respiratory failure. Failure to thrive, gastroesophageal reflux, aspiration, and recurrent chest infections necessitating frequent hospitalizations are common. As disease progresses, facial muscle weakness, temporomandibular joint contractures, and macroglossia may further impair feeding and can affect speech. In late-onset LAMA2-MD onset of manifestations range from early childhood to adulthood. Affected individuals may show muscle hypertrophy and develop a rigid spine syndrome with joint contractures, usually most prominent in the elbows. Progressive respiratory insufficiency, scoliosis, and cardiomyopathy can occur.

PAFAH1B1-related lissencephaly/subcortical band heterotopia (SBH) comprises a spectrum of severity. Affected newborns typically have mild-to-moderate hypotonia, feeding difficulties, and poor head control. During the first years, neurologic examination typically demonstrates poor visual tracking and response to sounds, axial hypotonia, and mild distal spasticity that can transition over time to more severe spasticity. Seizures occur in more than 90% of individuals with lissencephaly and often include infantile spasms. Seizures are often drug resistant, but even with good seizure control, the best developmental level achieved (excluding the few individuals with partial lissencephaly) is the equivalent of about age three to five months. In individuals with PAFAH1B1-related lissencephaly/SBH, developmental delay ranges from mild to severe. Other findings in PAFAH1B1-related lissencephaly/SBH include feeding issues and aspiration (which may result in need for gastrostomy tube placement), progressive microcephaly, and occasional developmental regression.

Early-onset progressive encephalopathy with brain edema and/or leukoencephalopathy-2 (PEBEL2) is an autosomal recessive severe neurometabolic disorder characterized by rapidly progressive neurologic deterioration that is usually associated with a febrile illness. Affected infants tend to show normal early development followed by acute psychomotor regression with ataxia, hypotonia, and sometimes seizures, resulting in death in the first years of life. Brain imaging shows multiple abnormalities, including brain edema and signal abnormalities in the cortical and subcortical regions (summary by Van Bergen et al., 2019). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PEBEL, see PEBEL1 (617186).

Acute reversible leukoencephalopathy with increased urinary alpha-ketoglutarate (ARLIAK) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by acute reversible neurologic deterioration in the context of a febrile illness. The disorder is associated with transient leukoencephalopathy on brain imaging concurrent with the acute episode, as well as persistently increased excretion of dicarboxylic acids, particularly alpha-ketoglutarate (summary by Dewulf et al., 2019).

O'Donnell-Luria-Rodan syndrome (ODLURO) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by global developmental delay, speech delay, variably delayed intellectual development, and subtle dysmorphic features. Some patients may have autism, seizures, hypotonia, and/or feeding difficulties (summary by O'Donnell-Luria et al., 2019).

Oculopharyngodistal myopathy-1 (OPDM1) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by adult-onset ptosis, external ophthalmoplegia, facial muscle weakness, distal limb muscle weakness and atrophy, and pharyngeal involvement, resulting in dysphagia and dysarthria. Skeletal muscle biopsy shows myopathic changes with rimmed vacuoles. There are variable manifestations of the disorder regarding muscle involvement and severity (summary by Ishiura et al., 2019). Genetic Heterogeneity of Oculopharyngodistal Myopathy See also OPDM2 (618940), caused by trinucleotide repeat expansion in the GIPC1 gene (605072) on chromosome 19p13; OPDM3 (619473), caused by trinucleotide repeat expansion in the NOTCH2NLC gene (618025) on chromosome 1q21; and OPDM4 (619790), caused by trinucleotide repeat expansion in the RILPL1 gene (614092) on chromosome 12q24. Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD; 164300) is a similar disorder with overlapping features. It is caused by a similar heterozygous trinucleotide repeat expansion in the PABPN1 gene (602279) (summary by Durmus et al., 2011).

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy-80 (DEE80) is an autosomal recessive neurologic disorder characterized by the onset of refractory seizures in the first year of life. Patients have severe global developmental delay and may have additional variable features, including dysmorphic or coarse facial features, distal skeletal abnormalities, and impaired hearing or vision. At the cellular level, the disorder is caused by a defect in the synthesis of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI), and thus affects the expression of GPI-anchored proteins at the cell surface (summary by Murakami et al., 2019). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of DEE, see 308350. For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of GPI biosynthesis defects, see GPIBD1 (610293).

Autosomal dominant intellectual developmental disorder-60 with seizures is characterized by global developmental delay apparent in infancy, followed by onset of seizures in the first years of life. Patients have delayed walking, an ataxic gait, and moderately to severely impaired intellectual development with poor speech (summary by Helbig et al., 2019).

Autosomal dominant chromosome 1p36.33 duplication syndrome is a severe multisystemic disorder characterized by neonatal respiratory insufficiency, hypotonia, and cardiomyopathy, resulting in death in the first weeks of life. Affected infants may also have seizures, contractures, and corneal opacities. Brain imaging shows variable anomalies, such as white matter changes, and laboratory studies suggest that the phenotype results from metabolic defects in mitochondrial and cholesterol homeostasis (summary by Gunning et al., 2020).

Congenital disorder of glycosylation type IIt (CDG2t) is an autosomal recessive multisystemic metabolic disorder characterized by global developmental delay, poor overall growth, severely impaired intellectual development with absent language, and behavioral abnormalities. Most patients develop early-onset seizures; brain imaging tends to show white matter abnormalities. Variable dysmorphic features, including long face, almond-shaped eyes, protruding maxilla, and short philtrum, are also present. The disorder, which is associated with low levels of HDL cholesterol, results from defective posttranslational O-linked glycosylation of certain plasma lipids and proteins (summary by Zilmer et al., 2020). For an overview of congenital disorders of glycosylation, see CDG1A (212065) and CDG2A (212066).

Pseudo-TORCH syndrome-3 (PTORCH3) is an autosomal recessive disorder of immune dysregulation and neuroinflammation apparent from early infancy. Affected individuals have developmental delay with acute episodes of fever and multisystemic organ involvement, including coagulopathy, elevated liver enzymes, and proteinuria, often associated with thrombotic microangiopathy. Brain imaging shows progressive intracranial calcifications, white matter abnormalities, and sometimes cerebral or cerebellar atrophy. Laboratory studies show abnormal elevation of interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene (ISG) transcripts consistent with a type I interferonopathy. The phenotype resembles the sequelae of intrauterine infection, but there is usually no evidence of an infectious agent. The disorder results from defects in negative regulation of the interferon immunologic pathway. Death in early childhood is common (summary by Duncan et al., 2019 and Gruber et al., 2020). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of PTORCH, see PTORCH1 (251290).

Mitchell syndrome (MITCH) is a progressive disorder characterized by episodic demyelination, sensorimotor polyneuropathy, and hearing loss (Chung et al., 2020).

Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-45 (COXPD45) is an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder characterized by poor overall growth apparent from infancy, global developmental delay, seizures, and acute progressive neurologic deterioration with loss of skills. Other features may include dysmorphic facies and lesions on brain imaging. Laboratory studies show increased serum lactate and COXPD in patient tissues, consistent with a mitochondrial defect (summary by Serre et al., 2013). For discussion of genetic heterogeneity of combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency, see COXPD1 (609060).

Neurodevelopmental disorder with progressive spasticity and brain white matter abnormalities (NEDSWMA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by impaired psychomotor development apparent in infancy. Affected individuals show poor overall growth, progressive microcephaly, and axial hypotonia, with later onset of spasticity. The disorder is progressive. Some patients show normal early development, but later have regression of motor, cognitive, and language skills. More variable features include seizures, joint contractures, ocular disturbances, episodic respiratory failure, and nonspecific dysmorphic facial features. The intellectual impairment is variable, ranging from poor visual contact with inability to walk or speak to milder intellectual disability with the ability to say some words. Brain imaging shows variable white matter abnormalities, including thin corpus callosum and poor myelination (summary by Husain et al., 2020).

Alzahrani-Kuwahara syndrome (ALKUS) is an autosomal recessive neurodevelopmental syndrome characterized by global developmental delay with severely impaired intellectual function and poor or absent speech. Patients have poor overall growth and dysmorphic facial features. More variable findings include early-onset cataracts, hypotonia, congenital heart defects, lower limb spasticity, and hypospadias (summary by Alzahrani et al., 2020).

Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome-8 (AGS8) is a type I interferonopathy characterized by severe developmental delay and progressive neurologic deterioration ending in premature death. Brain imaging shows diffusely abnormal white matter, severe cerebral atrophy, and intracranial calcification (Uggenti et al., 2020). For a general phenotypic description and discussion of genetic heterogeneity of Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome, see AGS1 (225750).

CSF1R-related adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP) is characterized by executive dysfunction, memory decline, personality changes, motor impairments, and seizures. A frontal lobe syndrome (e.g., loss of judgment, lack of social inhibitors, lack of insight, and motor persistence) usually appears early in the disease course. The mean age of onset is usually in the fourth decade. Affected individuals eventually become bedridden with spasticity and rigidity. The disease course ranges from two to 30 or more years (mean: 8 years).

Childhood-onset remitting leukodystrophy (CORLK) is a very rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized in some patients by onset of a metabolic crisis at the end of the first year of life that leads to widespread demyelination and leukodystrophy on brain imaging and a dramatic loss of developmental abilities. Affected children recover over the following several months, regaining normal development accompanied by remyelination. Not all patients have documented acute episodes of metabolic demyelination in infancy, but individuals with the FBP2 mutation show persistent white matter abnormalities on brain imaging that resemble the abnormalities observed in infants with the acute crisis. Other neurologic disturbances that may or may not be related to the FBP2 mutation have been observed, including psychiatric manifestations, seizures, and mild learning difficulties (Gizak et al., 2021).

Leukoencephalopathy with vanishing white matter-5 (VWM5) is a chronic and progressive autosomal recessive leukoencephalopathy characterized by neurologic deterioration usually beginning in late infancy or early childhood; however, juvenile- and adult-onset cases have been reported. Neurologic signs include cerebellar ataxia, spasticity, and relatively preserved mental abilities. The disease is chronic and progressive with, in most individuals, additional episodes of rapid deterioration following febrile infections or minor head trauma. Death occurs after a variable period of a few years to a few decades, usually following an episode of fever and coma. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy are diagnostic and show a diffuse abnormality of the cerebral white matter beginning in the presymptomatic stage, with increasing amounts of the abnormal white matter vanishing and being replaced by cerebrospinal fluid; autopsy confirms these findings (summary by Leegwater et al., 2001). Ovarian dysgenesis may be present in affected females (Fogli et al., 2003). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of VWM, see 603896. Cree Leukoencephalopathy An infantile leukoencephalopathy among the native Cree and Chippewayan indigenous population in Northern Quebec and Manitoba results from homozygosity for an arg195-to-his (R195H; 603945.0005) mutation in the EIF2B5 gene. These patients have disease onset between 3 and 9 months of age, with death in 100% by 21 months of age.