Background: Sporadic adult-onset ataxias without known genetic or acquired cause are subdivided into multiple system atrophy of cerebellar type (MSA-C) and sporadic adult-onset ataxia of unknown etiology (SAOA).
Objectives: To study the differential evolution of both conditions including plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers.
Methods: SPORTAX is a prospective registry of sporadic ataxia patients with an onset >40 years.
Spastic paraplegia type 5 (SPG5/HSP-CYP7B1) is an autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) caused by biallelic variants in the CYP7B1 gene, resulting in dysfunction of the enzyme oxysterol-7-α-hydroxylase. The consequent accumulation of hydroxycholesterols in plasma seems to be pathognomonic for SPG5, and represent a possible target for treatment. We aimed to characterize Norwegian patients with SPG5, including clinical examinations, genetic analyses, measurements of hydroxycholesterols, electrophysiological investigations and brain imaging.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe aimed to assess the impact of POLG disease on mental health and quality of life in 15 patients using the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (RAND-36). We found increased scores in all nine subscales of SCL-90-R, particularly phobic anxiety, depression and somatization. Further, patients reported considerably lower scores in all RAND-36 domains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To study the impact of gender, puberty, and pregnancy on the expression of POLG disease, one of the most common mitochondrial diseases known.
Methods: Clinical, laboratory, and genetic data were collected retrospectively from 155 patients with genetically confirmed POLG disease recruited from seven European countries. We used the available data to study the impact of gender, puberty, and pregnancy on disease onset and deterioration.