Inability to elicit tendon reflexes in the lower limbs.

A height below that which is expected according to age and gender norms. Although there is no universally accepted definition of short stature, many refer to "short stature" as height more than 2 standard deviations below the mean for age and gender (or below the 3rd percentile for age and gender dependent norms).

A type of hearing impairment in one or both ears related to an abnormal functionality of the cochlear nerve.

Peripheral neuropathy is a general term for any disorder of the peripheral nervous system. The main clinical features used to classify peripheral neuropathy are distribution, type (mainly demyelinating versus mainly axonal), duration, and course.

Upturning of the big toe (and sometimes fanning of the other toes) in response to stimulation of the sole of the foot. If the Babinski sign is present it can indicate damage to the corticospinal tract.

Atrophy (wasting, decrease in size of cells or tissue) affecting the cerebrum.

Incoordination of movement caused by a deficit in the sensory nervous system. Sensory ataxia can be distinguished from cerebellar ataxia by asking the patient to close his or her eyes. Persons with cerebellar ataxia show only a minimal worsening of symptoms, whereas persons with sensory ataxia show a marked worsening of symptoms.

Abnormal cognition is characterized by deficits in thinking, reasoning, or remembering.

Cerebellar atrophy is defined as a cerebellum with initially normal structures, in a posterior fossa with normal size, which displays enlarged fissures (interfolial spaces) in comparison to the foliae secondary to loss of tissue. Cerebellar atrophy implies irreversible loss of tissue and result from an ongoing progressive disease until a final stage is reached or a single injury, e.g. an intoxication or infectious event.

A type of ataxia characterized by the impairment of the ability to coordinate the movements required for normal walking. Gait ataxia is characteirzed by a wide-based staggering gait with a tendency to fall.

Reduced speed of conduction of the action potential along a sensory nerve.

A type of decreased nerve conduction velocity that affects the motor neuron.

An increased concentration of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which is the product of nonenzymatic attachment of a hexose molecule to the N-terminal amino acid of the hemoglobin molecule. This reaction is dependent on blood glucose concentration, and therefore reflects the mean glucose concentration over the previous 8 to 12 weeks. The HbA1c level provides a better indication of long-term glycemic control than one-time blood or urinary glucose measurements.

The presence of autoantibodies (immunoglobulins) in the serum that react against tyrosine phosphatase IA-2.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D), also designated insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), is a disorder of glucose homeostasis characterized by susceptibility to ketoacidosis in the absence of insulin therapy. It is a genetically heterogeneous autoimmune disease affecting about 0.3% of Caucasian populations (Todd, 1990). Genetic studies of T1D have focused on the identification of loci associated with increased susceptibility to this multifactorial phenotype. The classic phenotype of diabetes mellitus is polydipsia, polyphagia, and polyuria which result from hyperglycemia-induced osmotic diuresis and secondary thirst. These derangements result in long-term complications that affect the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels.