Clinical and Genetic Characterization of Brazilian Patients with Ataxia and Oculomotor Apraxia.

Background: Ataxia with oculomotor apraxia (AOA) is characterized by early-onset cerebellar ataxia associated with oculomotor apraxia. AOA1, AOA2, AOA3, and AOA4 subtypes may present pathogenic variants in APTX, SETX, PIK3R5, and PNKP genes, respectively. Mutations in XRCC1 have been found to cause autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia-26 (SCAR26) now considered AOA5.

Clinical and molecular characterization of a large cohort of childhood onset hereditary spastic paraplegias.

The present study aimed to characterize clinical and molecular data of a large cohort of subjects with childhood-onset hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs). A multicenter historical cohort was performed at five centers in Brazil, in which probands and affected relatives' data from consecutive families with childhood-onset HSP (onset < 12 years-old) were reviewed from 2011 to 2020. One hundred and six individuals (83 families) with suspicion of childhood-onset HSP were evaluated, being 68 (50 families) with solved genetic diagnosis, 6 (5 families) with candidate variants in HSP-related genes and 32 (28 families) with unsolved genetic diagnosis.

Fields of Forel Brain Stimulation Improves Levodopa-Unresponsive Gait and Balance Disorders in Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Gait and balance disturbance are challenging symptoms in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Anatomic and clinical data suggest that the fields of Forel may be a potential surgical target to treat these symptoms.

Objective: To test whether bilateral stimulation centered at the fields of Forel improves levodopa unresponsive freezing of gait (FOG), balance problems, postural instability, and falls in PD.

Ophthalmological changes in hereditary spastic paraplegia and other genetic diseases with spastic paraplegia.

Ophthalmological abnormalities may occur in specific subtypes of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) and in genetic diseases that present with spastic paraplegia mimicking HSP. These ophthalmological changes may precede the motor symptoms and include pigmentary retinal degeneration, ophthalmoplegia, optic atrophy, cataracts and nystagmus. Some ophthalmological abnormalities are more prevalent in specific forms of HSP.