Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex and heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder from a causal, clinical and prognostic perspective. Research reflects its multifactorial nature with a prominent role of genetic factors. Population studies have historically pointed to the involvement of numerous genetic variants of small effect size, which hardly by themselves increase the risk of presenting the disorder and hardly justify its high heritability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (TBRS) or DNMT3A-overgrowth syndrome is characterized by overgrowth and intellectual disability associated with minor dysmorphic features, obesity, and behavioral problems. It is caused by variants of the DNMT3A gene. We report four patients with this syndrome due to de novo DNMT3A pathogenic variants, contributing to a deeper understanding of the genetic basis and pathophysiology of this autosomal dominant syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBeyond the frequent coexistence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading disorder (dyslexia), the present review aims to examine the available empirical evidence on how ADHD negatively impacts on learning to read. Existing data suggest that the presence of the disorder (especially inattention symptoms), may affect i) the correct acquisition of reading, either directly or through its influence on the precursors to reading; ii) decoding skills themselves (reading accuracy and fluency), both directly and indirectly through its influence on cognitive processes such as distractibility or executive functions; and iii) reading comprehension, probably indirectly through the executive and verbal memory difficulties characteristic of ADHD. These findings have important implications for better characterizing and intervening on reading difficulties in ADHD, whether clinical or subclinical.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBi-allelic mutations in the gene have been recently associated with autosomal recessive microcephaly with chorioretinopathy. However, little is known about the genotype-phenotype characteristics of this disorder. Here, we describe a 5-year-old male patient with autism and a normal occipitofrontal circumference.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKBG syndrome is characterized by dental, craniofacial and skeletal anomalies, short stature and global developmental delay or intellectual disability. It is caused by microdeletions or truncating mutations of ANKRD11. We report four unrelated probands with this syndrome due to de novo ANKRD11 aberrations that may contribute to a better understanding of the genetics and pathophysiology of this autosomal dominant syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMutations in the gene are associated with Renpenning syndrome (RENS1, ). Most cases are characterized by intellectual disability, but a detailed neuropsychological profile has not yet been established. The present case study of a 8.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe engulfment and cell motility 3 (ELMO3) protein belongs to the ELMO-family of proteins. ELMO proteins form a tight complex with the DOCK1-5 guanine nucleotide exchange factors that regulate RAC1 spatiotemporal activation and signalling. DOCK proteins and RAC1 are known to have fundamental roles in central nervous system development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMutations in the ANO3 gene have been associated with autosomal dominant craniocervical dystonia. However, little else is known about the genotype-phenotype characteristics of this disorder. Here we describe a 3 years-old girl with distal myoclonic dystonia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent disorders in the child and adolescent population, with a known impact on learning, social relations and quality of life. However, the lifestyle habits of patients with this disorder have been poorly studied.
Material And Methods: A total of 160 children and adolescents, aged between 6 and 16 years, participated in the study.
Objective: This study aimed to examine the influence of dopamine transporter gene ( DAT1) 3'UTR genotype on cingulate cortical thickness in a large sample of children and adolescents with ADHD.
Method: Brain MRIs were acquired from 46 ADHD patients with homozygosity for the 10-repeat allele and 52 ADHD patients with a single copy or no copy of the allele. The cingulate cortex of each MRI scan was automatically parceled into sulci and gyri as well as into Brodmann areas (BA).
We describe a 4-year-old male child born to non-consanguineous Spanish parents with progressive encephalopathy (PE), microcephaly, and hypertonia. Whole exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous BRAT1 mutations [c.1564G > A (p.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral lines of evidence suggest that the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) plays a crucial role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Concretely, recent data indicate that the 10-repeat (10R) DAT1 allele may mediate neuropsychological functioning, response to methylphenidate, and even brain function and structure in children with ADHD. This study aimed to investigate the influence of 10R DAT1 on thickness of the prefrontal cortex in children and adolescents with ADHD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStructural and functional brain studies on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have primarily examined anatomical abnormalities in the prefronto-striatal circuitry (especially, dorsal and lateral areas of the prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum). There is, however, increased evidence that several temporal lobe regions could play an important role in ADHD. The present study used MRI-based measurements of cortical thickness to examine possible differences in both prefrontal and temporal lobe regions between medication-näive patients with ADHD (N = 50) and age- and sex-matched typically developing controls (N = 50).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCase Report: We describe an unusual clinical case with an 11-Mb deletion at 4q27 (chr4: 123094652-134164491), craniosynostosis (CS), mild psychomotor retardation, and facial dysmorphic features. This deletion involves 18 genes; FGF2, NUDT6, and SPRY1 are primarily or secondarily implicated in human cranial bone and sagittal suture development and could play an important role in CS.
Conclusions: Clinicians should always contemplate genetic studies in patients with syndromic CS.
Interstitial microduplication of 3q29 has been recently described. Individuals with this syndrome have widely variable phenotypes. We describe the first clinical case with a 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLBX1 plays a cardinal role in neuronal and muscular development in animal models. Its function in humans is unknown; it has been reported as a candidate gene for idiopathic scoliosis. Our goal is to document the first clinical case of a microduplication at 10q24.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system with a low incidence in the paediatric population; cortical atrophy is often striking, even in the early stages of the disease. Evidence of cortical thinning in childhood MS is scant.
Aims: This study aimed to assess cortical thickness in paediatric patients during the initial attack of remitting-relapsing MS.
Frontonasal dysplasia is an etiologically heterogeneous development alteration including a set of anomalies affecting the eyes, forehead, and nose as a result of a malformation of the frontonasal elevation. It could occur either in isolation or as part of a syndrome such as frontonasal dysplasia associated with periventricular heterotopia. Our goal is to document the first clinical case of prenatal diagnosis for frontonasal dysplasia associated with periventricular heterotopia by fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at weeks 19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe cardinal symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)--inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness--are not specific and may be found in the general population and in other disorders. These symptoms are present in over 50% of patients with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It thus seems quite clear that both problems can coexist in these patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a very heterogeneous neurobiological condition. It is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in the childhood population. Its prevalence is estimated to be 3-6% in school-age children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe acronym PHACE describes the association of facial hemangioma with anomalies of the posterior fossa, cerebral arteries, and cardiovascular and ocular alterations. This study presents a case of diagnostic suspicion based on fetal MRI. We report the case of a pregnant woman whose 26-week MRI revealed a female fetus with hypoplasia of the right cerebellar hemisphere and right microphthalmia, leading to the suspicion of PHACE syndrome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Paliperidone is the main active metabolite of risperidone, with certain pharmacokinetic and tolerability characteristics that suggest it may be used in special groups, such as children. Our purpose is to document the clinical experience with the use of paliperidone in children with severe behavior problems that were partially refractory to treatment with risperidone and psychological treatment.
Materials And Methods: This is a prospective 16-week open-label study of paliperidone in 18 patients (mean age, 13.