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Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis 1(CLN1)

MedGen UID:
340540
Concept ID:
C1850451
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Adult CLN (type of CLN1); CEROID LIPOFUSCINOSIS, NEURONAL, 1, VARIABLE AGE AT ONSET; Classic late infantile CLN (type of CLN1); CLN1; CLN1 Disease; CLN1 variable age at onset; Infantile CLN (type of CLN1); Juvenile CLN (type of CLN1); PPT1-Related Neuronal Ceroid-Lipofuscinosis
Modes of inheritance:
Autosomal recessive inheritance
MedGen UID:
141025
Concept ID:
C0441748
Intellectual Product
Source: Orphanet
A mode of inheritance that is observed for traits related to a gene encoded on one of the autosomes (i.e., the human chromosomes 1-22) in which a trait manifests in individuals with two pathogenic alleles, either homozygotes (two copies of the same mutant allele) or compound heterozygotes (whereby each copy of a gene has a distinct mutant allele).
 
Gene (location): PPT1 (1p34.2)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0009744
OMIM®: 256730
Orphanet: ORPHA228329

Definition

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCL; CLN) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the intracellular accumulation of autofluorescent lipopigment storage material in different patterns ultrastructurally. The lipopigment pattern seen most often in CLN1 is referred to as granular osmiophilic deposits (GROD). The patterns most often observed in CLN2 and CLN3 are 'curvilinear' and 'fingerprint' profiles, respectively. CLN4, CLN5, CLN6, CLN7, and CLN8 show mixed combinations of granular, curvilinear, fingerprint, and rectilinear profiles. The clinical course includes progressive dementia, seizures, and progressive visual failure (Mole et al., 2005). Zeman and Dyken (1969) referred to these conditions as the 'neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses.' Goebel (1995) provided a comprehensive review of the NCLs and noted that they are possibly the most common group of neurodegenerative diseases in children. Mole et al. (2005) provided a detailed clinical and genetic review of the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses. Genetic Heterogeneity of Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis See also CLN2 (204500), caused by mutation in the TPP1 gene (607998) on chromosome 11p15; CLN3 (204200), caused by mutation in the CLN3 gene (607042) on 16p12; CLN4 (162350), caused by mutation in the DNAJC5 gene (611203) on 20q13; CLN5 (256731), caused by mutation in the CLN5 gene (608102) on 13q22; CLN6A (601780) and CLN6B (204300), both caused by mutation in the CLN6 gene (606725) on 15q21; CLN7 (610951), caused by mutation in the MFSD8 gene (611124) on 4q28; CLN8 (600143) and the Northern epilepsy variant of CLN8 (610003), both caused by mutation in the CLN8 gene (607837) on 8p23; CLN10 (610127), caused by mutation in the CTSD gene (116840) on 11p15; CLN11 (614706), caused by mutation in the GRN gene (138945) on 17q21; CLN13 (615362), caused by mutation in the CTSF gene (603539) on 11q13; and CLN14 (611726), caused by mutation in the KCTD7 gene (611725) on 7q11. CLN9 (609055) has not been molecularly characterized. A disorder that was formerly designated neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis-12 (CLN12) is now considered to be a variable form of Kufor-Rakeb syndrome (KRS; 606693). [from OMIM]

Additional description

From MedlinePlus Genetics
CLN1 disease is an inherited disorder that primarily affects the nervous system. Individuals with this condition have normal development in infancy, but typically by 18 months they become increasingly irritable and begin to lose previously acquired skills (developmental regression). In affected children, nerve cells in the brain die over time, leading to an overall loss of brain tissue (brain atrophy) and an unusually small head (microcephaly). Children with CLN1 disease have decreased muscle tone (hypotonia), intellectual and motor disability, and rarely are able to speak or walk. Some affected children develop repetitive hand movements. By age 2, individuals with this condition often have muscle twitches (myoclonus), recurrent seizures (epilepsy), and vision loss. Some affected children develop frequent respiratory infections. As the condition worsens, children have severe feeding difficulties that often require a feeding tube. Children with CLN1 disease usually do not survive past childhood.

Some people with CLN1 disease do not develop symptoms until later in childhood or in adulthood. As with younger affected children, older individuals develop a decline in intellectual function, myoclonus, epilepsy, and vision loss. In these individuals, life expectancy depends on when signs and symptoms of CLN1 disease develop and their severity; affected individuals may survive only into adolescence or through adulthood. Adults with CLN1 disease may also have movement disorders, including impaired muscle coordination (ataxia) or a pattern of movement abnormalities known as parkinsonism.

CLN1 disease is one of a group of disorders known as neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs), which may also be collectively referred to as Batten disease. All these disorders affect the nervous system and typically cause worsening problems with vision, movement, and thinking ability. The different NCLs are distinguished by their genetic cause. Each disease type is given the designation "CLN," meaning ceroid lipofuscinosis, neuronal, and then a number to indicate its subtype.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/cln1-disease

Clinical features

From HPO
Vascular granular osmiophilic material deposition
MedGen UID:
348472
Concept ID:
C1859833
Finding
Accumulation of granular osmiophilic material in blood vessel walls. Osmiophilic material becomes black upon staining with osmium tetroxide. Deposition of granular osmiophilic material (GOM) is the vascular pathological hallmark of CADASIL, which is the most prevalent hereditary small vessel disease and is caused by missense mutations in the NOTCH3 gene. GOM have been shown to contain NOTCH3 ectodomain (NOTCH3ECD) and extracellular matrix proteins, and can be visualized ultrastructurally in the tunica media of small arteries and capillaries. These electron dense GOM deposits are located in the basement membrane of mural cells, i.e. vascular smooth muscle cells and pericytes. In both manifest and pre-manifest CADASIL patients, GOM deposits are present not only in brain vessels, but also in vessels of other organs, such as the skin.
Cerebellar ataxia
MedGen UID:
849
Concept ID:
C0007758
Disease or Syndrome
Cerebellar ataxia refers to ataxia due to dysfunction of the cerebellum. This causes a variety of elementary neurological deficits including asynergy (lack of coordination between muscles, limbs and joints), dysmetria (lack of ability to judge distances that can lead to under- or overshoot in grasping movements), and dysdiadochokinesia (inability to perform rapid movements requiring antagonizing muscle groups to be switched on and off repeatedly).
Depression
MedGen UID:
4229
Concept ID:
C0011581
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Frequently experiencing feelings of being down, miserable, and/or hopeless; struggling to recover from these moods; having a pessimistic outlook on the future; feeling a pervasive sense of shame; having a low self-worth; experiencing thoughts of suicide and engaging in suicidal behavior.
Hallucinations
MedGen UID:
6709
Concept ID:
C0018524
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Perceptions in a conscious and awake state that, in the absence of external stimuli, have qualities of real perception. These perceptions are vivid, substantial, and located in external objective space.
Spasticity
MedGen UID:
7753
Concept ID:
C0026838
Sign or Symptom
A motor disorder characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with increased muscle tone, exaggerated (hyperexcitable) tendon reflexes.
Myoclonus
MedGen UID:
10234
Concept ID:
C0027066
Finding
Very brief, involuntary random muscular contractions occurring at rest, in response to sensory stimuli, or accompanying voluntary movements.
Seizure
MedGen UID:
20693
Concept ID:
C0036572
Sign or Symptom
A seizure is an intermittent abnormality of nervous system physiology characterized by a transient occurrence of signs and/or symptoms due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain.
Sleep abnormality
MedGen UID:
52372
Concept ID:
C0037317
Finding
An abnormal pattern in the quality, quantity, or characteristics of sleep.
EEG abnormality
MedGen UID:
56235
Concept ID:
C0151611
Finding
Abnormality observed by electroencephalogram (EEG), which is used to record of the brain's spontaneous electrical activity from multiple electrodes placed on the scalp.
Cerebral atrophy
MedGen UID:
116012
Concept ID:
C0235946
Disease or Syndrome
Atrophy (wasting, decrease in size of cells or tissue) affecting the cerebrum.
Loss of speech
MedGen UID:
107445
Concept ID:
C0542223
Finding
Global developmental delay
MedGen UID:
107838
Concept ID:
C0557874
Finding
A delay in the achievement of motor or mental milestones in the domains of development of a child, including motor skills, speech and language, cognitive skills, and social and emotional skills. This term should only be used to describe children younger than five years of age.
Psychomotor deterioration
MedGen UID:
373191
Concept ID:
C1836842
Finding
Loss of previously present mental and motor abilities.
Irritability
MedGen UID:
397841
Concept ID:
C2700617
Mental Process
A proneness to anger, i.e., a tendency to become easily bothered or annoyed.
Intellectual disability
MedGen UID:
811461
Concept ID:
C3714756
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Intellectual disability, previously referred to as mental retardation, is characterized by subnormal intellectual functioning that occurs during the developmental period. It is defined by an IQ score below 70.
Increased neuronal autofluorescent lipopigment
MedGen UID:
892355
Concept ID:
C4025728
Finding
Lipofuscin, a generic term applied to autofluorescent lipopigment, is a mixture of protein and lipid that accumulates in most aging cells, particularly those involved in high lipid turnover (e.g., the adrenal medulla) or phagocytosis of other cell types (e g., the retinal pigment epithelium or RPE; macrophage). This term pertains if there is an increase in the neuronal accumulation of lipofuscin (also known as autofluorescent lipoprotein) more than expected for the age of the patient.
Hypotonia
MedGen UID:
10133
Concept ID:
C0026827
Finding
Hypotonia is an abnormally low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle). Even when relaxed, muscles have a continuous and passive partial contraction which provides some resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia thus manifests as diminished resistance to passive stretching. Hypotonia is not the same as muscle weakness, although the two conditions can co-exist.
Flexion contracture
MedGen UID:
83069
Concept ID:
C0333068
Anatomical Abnormality
A flexion contracture is a bent (flexed) joint that cannot be straightened actively or passively. It is thus a chronic loss of joint motion due to structural changes in muscle, tendons, ligaments, or skin that prevents normal movement of joints.
Secondary microcephaly
MedGen UID:
608952
Concept ID:
C0431352
Finding
Head circumference which falls below 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender because of insufficient head growth after birth.
Progressive microcephaly
MedGen UID:
340542
Concept ID:
C1850456
Anatomical Abnormality
Progressive microcephaly is diagnosed when the head circumference falls progressively behind age- and gender-dependent norms.
Generalized hypotonia
MedGen UID:
346841
Concept ID:
C1858120
Finding
Generalized muscular hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone).
Vacuolated lymphocytes
MedGen UID:
332307
Concept ID:
C1836855
Finding
The presence of clear, sharply defined vacuoles in the lymphocyte cytoplasm.
Abnormality of metabolism/homeostasis
MedGen UID:
867398
Concept ID:
C4021768
Finding
Reduced tissue palmitoyl-protein thioesterase activity
MedGen UID:
1053544
Concept ID:
CN377932
Finding
Activity of the enzyme palmitoyl-protein thioesterase (PPT; EC 3.1.2.22) in tissues below the lower limit of normal. The activity can be measured in multiple tissues including culutured fibroblasts and leukocytes.
Macular degeneration
MedGen UID:
7434
Concept ID:
C0024437
Disease or Syndrome
A nonspecific term denoting degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium and/or retinal photoreceptor cells of the macula lutea.
Optic atrophy
MedGen UID:
18180
Concept ID:
C0029124
Disease or Syndrome
Atrophy of the optic nerve. Optic atrophy results from the death of the retinal ganglion cell axons that comprise the optic nerve and manifesting as a pale optic nerve on fundoscopy.
Retinal degeneration
MedGen UID:
48432
Concept ID:
C0035304
Finding
A nonspecific term denoting degeneration of the retinal pigment epithelium and/or retinal photoreceptor cells.
Blindness
MedGen UID:
99138
Concept ID:
C0456909
Disease or Syndrome
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception defined as a profound reduction in visual perception. On the 6m visual acuity scale, blindness is defined as less than 3/60. On the 20ft visual acuity scale, blindness is defined as less than 20/400. On the decimal visual acuity scale, blindness is defined as less than 0.05. Blindness is typically characterized by a visual field of no greater than 10 degrees in radius around central fixation.
Decreased light- and dark-adapted electroretinogram amplitude
MedGen UID:
326793
Concept ID:
C1839025
Finding
Decreased amplitude of eletrical response upon electroretinography.
Progressive visual loss
MedGen UID:
326867
Concept ID:
C1839364
Finding
A reduction of previously attained ability to see.
Undetectable electroretinogram
MedGen UID:
383742
Concept ID:
C1855685
Finding
Lack of any response to stimulation upon electroretinography.

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Augustine EF, Adams HR, de Los Reyes E, Drago K, Frazier M, Guelbert N, Laine M, Levin T, Mink JW, Nickel M, Peifer D, Schulz A, Simonati A, Topcu M, Turunen JA, Williams R, Wirrell EC, King S
Pediatr Neurol 2021 Jul;120:38-51. Epub 2021 Apr 9 doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2021.04.002. PMID: 34000449
Kohlschütter A, Schulz A, Bartsch U, Storch S
CNS Drugs 2019 Apr;33(4):315-325. doi: 10.1007/s40263-019-00620-8. PMID: 30877620Free PMC Article
Williams RE, Adams HR, Blohm M, Cohen-Pfeffer JL, de Los Reyes E, Denecke J, Drago K, Fairhurst C, Frazier M, Guelbert N, Kiss S, Kofler A, Lawson JA, Lehwald L, Leung MA, Mikhaylova S, Mink JW, Nickel M, Shediac R, Sims K, Specchio N, Topcu M, von Löbbecke I, West A, Zernikow B, Schulz A
Pediatr Neurol 2017 Apr;69:102-112. Epub 2017 Feb 4 doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2017.01.034. PMID: 28335910

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Ohno K, Saito S, Sugawara K, Suzuki T, Togawa T, Sakuraba H
Brain Dev 2010 Aug;32(7):524-30. Epub 2009 Sep 29 doi: 10.1016/j.braindev.2009.08.010. PMID: 19793631

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