We report a case of late-onset predominantly axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease resulting from a novel mutation in the MPZ gene encoding myelin protein zero (P0). Neurological examination, electrophysiological examination and genetic testing were performed on three members of a Finnish family (family A) and one member of a German family (family B). Three other members of the Finnish family were interviewed and genetically tested.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMutations in the Dynamin 2 gene (DNM2) cause autosomal dominant centronuclear myopathy or autosomal dominant (AD) Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease. Here the authors report one large Czech family with 15 members affected with an AD CMT phenotype of extraordinary variability. Genetic linkage analysis using SNP arrays revealed a locus of about 9.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Na(v)1.7 sodium channel is preferentially expressed in nocioceptive dorsal root ganglion and sympathetic ganglion neurons. Gain-of-function mutations in Na(v)1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComplex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a condition that is characterized by severe pain and exaggerated neurogenic inflammation, which may develop after injury or surgery. Neurogenic inflammation is mediated by neuropeptides, such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) that are released from nociceptors. Genetic factors may play a role in CRPS as was suggested by the occurrence of familial cases and several genetic association studies investigating mainly the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe LMNA gene was sequenced in 98 Czech patients from 94 unrelated families with early-onset axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease consistent with both autosomal recessive inheritance and sporadic cases. Biallelic pathogenic mutations were not found in any patient in this group. One patient carried the c.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCharcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder. All mendelian patterns of inheritance have been described. We identified a homozygous p.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGiant axonal neuropathy (GAN), a severe childhood disorder affecting both the peripheral nerves and the central nervous system, is due to mutations in the GAN gene encoding gigaxonin, a protein implicated in the cytoskeletal functions and dynamics. In the majority of the GAN series reported to date, patients had the classical clinical phenotype characterized by a severe axonal neuropathy with kinky hair and early onset CNS involvement including cerebellar and pyramidal signs. We present 12 patients (6 families) with GAN mutations and different clinical phenotypes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCrohn's disease (CD) is a painful inflammatory bowel disease with complex multigenic inheritance. Suggested on the basis of a few isolated reports CD patients require significantly higher post operative opioid doses than patients undergoing comparable severe abdominal surgery. Crohn's disease therefore may be a suitable model for the identification of novel pain susceptibility genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN, MIM: 256850) is characterized by an early onset of severe peripheral neuropathy, varying central nervous system involvement and strikingly frizzly hair. Mode of inheritance is autosomal recessive. Mutations in the gigaxonin (GAN) gene on chromosome 16q24.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMutations in the mitofusin 2 (MFN2) gene are a major cause of primary axonal Charcot- Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathy. This study aims at further characterization of cerebral white matter alterations observed in patients with MFN2 mutations. Molecular genetic, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) investigations were performed in four unrelated patients aged 7 to 38 years with early onset axonal CMT neuropathy.
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