Publications by authors named "Martine Doco-Fenzy"

Article Synopsis
  • Duplications of the 3q29 chromosomal region are rare genetic variations linked to diverse neurodevelopmental disorders, often causing learning disabilities and neuropsychiatric issues.
  • A study involving 31 families revealed different sizes of 3q29 duplications: 14 recurrent, 8 overlapping, and 9 smaller ones, with some patients showing additional genetic factors influencing their conditions.
  • Most patients exhibited mild neurodevelopmental disorders, with many duplications being inherited and associated with low rates of intellectual disabilities, suggesting that severe cases might require more detailed genetic examination.
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Purpose: To assess the likely pathogenic/pathogenic (LP/P) variants rates in Mendelian dementia genes and the moderate-to-strong risk factors rates in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).

Methods: We included 700 patients in a prospective study and performed exome sequencing. A panel of 28 Mendelian and 6 risk-factor genes was interpreted and returned to patients.

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Introduction: In France, few centres per region offer genetics consultations. Consequently, each centre covers a large area, often requiring patients to take a day off to travel long distances. In certain situations, genetic counselling in particular, a physical exam is not required.

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Background: Molecular diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) is mainly based on exome sequencing (ES), with a diagnostic yield of 31% for isolated and 53% for syndromic NDD. As sequencing costs decrease, genome sequencing (GS) is gradually replacing ES for genome-wide molecular testing. As many variants detected by GS only are in deep intronic or non-coding regions, the interpretation of their impact may be difficult.

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BRAT1 biallelic variants are associated with rigidity and multifocal seizure syndrome, lethal neonatal (RMFSL), and neurodevelopmental disorder associating cerebellar atrophy with or without seizures syndrome (NEDCAS). To date, forty individuals have been reported in the literature. We collected clinical and molecular data from 57 additional cases allowing us to study a large cohort of 97 individuals and draw phenotype-genotype correlations.

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Article Synopsis
  • SRSF1 is a protein that plays a crucial role in mRNA processing and is essential for proper brain development; its complete loss is fatal during embryonic stages in mice.
  • Researchers identified 17 individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) who have specific genetic changes in the SRSF1 gene, which lead to developmental delays, intellectual disability, and other health issues.
  • Advanced analysis techniques demonstrated that most genetic variants linked to SRSF1 result in a loss of its function, causing syndromic NDD due to impaired splicing activity.
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Multi-omics offer worthwhile and increasingly accessible technologies to diagnostic laboratories seeking potential second-tier strategies to help patients with unresolved rare diseases, especially patients clinically diagnosed with a rare OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man) disease. However, no consensus exists regarding the optimal diagnostic care pathway to adopt after negative results with standard approaches. In 15 unsolved individuals clinically diagnosed with recognizable OMIM diseases but with negative or inconclusive first-line genetic results, we explored the utility of a multi-step approach using several novel omics technologies to establish a molecular diagnosis.

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Purpose: Pathogenic variants in genes encoding ubiquitin E3 ligases are known to cause neurodevelopmental syndromes. Additional neurodevelopmental disorders associated with the other genes encoding E3 ligases are yet to be identified.

Methods: Chromosomal analysis and exome sequencing were used to identify the genetic causes in 10 patients from 7 unrelated families with syndromic neurodevelopmental, seizure, and movement disorders and neurobehavioral phenotypes.

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Article Synopsis
  • Chromosome 1p36 deletion syndrome (1p36DS) is a common genetic disorder resulting from a deletion on the short arm of chromosome 1, affecting 1 in every 5,000 to 10,000 live births in the U.S.
  • The syndrome is characterized by a range of health issues including developmental delays, heart defects, and distinct facial features.
  • This study analyzed 86 patients in France to compare the incidence of 1p36DS with other syndromes and examined how deletion locations influence specific symptoms and overall management of the disorder.
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Article Synopsis
  • A recent study focuses on patients with a microduplication in the 19p13.3 region, linked to issues like growth delays, small head size, and developmental delays.
  • The research analyzes a large cohort of 24 patients using advanced genomic techniques to better understand the genetic basis of this syndrome.
  • The study identifies a new critical region (CR 1) associated with the duplication, which affects gene interactions critical for normal developmental processes, particularly related to head size.
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Biallelic variants of the gene encoding for the zinc-finger protein 142 (ZNF142) have recently been associated with intellectual disability (ID), speech impairment, seizures, and movement disorders in nine individuals from five families. In this study, we obtained phenotype and genotype information of 26 further individuals from 16 families. Among the 27 different ZNF142 variants identified in the total of 35 individuals only four were missense.

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Article Synopsis
  • Intellectual disability (ID) is often linked to genetic defects, with this study identifying 14 SEMA6B gene variants in patients diagnosed with ID but without epilepsy.
  • The researchers conducted experiments showing that these SEMA6B variants affect protein localization and lead to reduced spine density in both cell cultures and chicken embryos, indicating a significant role in neuron development.
  • The findings broaden the understanding of SEMA6B-related conditions, suggesting it is also a contributor to ID, expanding its clinical significance beyond previously known associations with epilepsy.
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Background: We studied a young woman with atypical diabetes associated with mild intellectual disability, lymphedema distichiasis syndrome (LDS) and polymalformative syndrome including distichiasis. We used different genetic tools to identify causative pathogenic mutations and/or copy number variations.

Results: Although proband's, diabetes mellitus occurred during childhood, type 1 diabetes was unlikely due to the absence of detectable autoimmunity.

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Article Synopsis
  • Rare genetic variants in the CDK13 gene cause CDK13-related disorder (CDK13-RD), which includes symptoms like developmental delays, facial abnormalities, and seizures; this paper presents 18 new cases with detailed disease characterization.
  • The study involved clinical data analysis, comparison of DNA methylation between CDK13-RD individuals and controls, and the development of a machine learning model to differentiate CDK13-RD from other disorders.
  • The findings reveal new symptoms associated with CDK13-RD, establish a specific DNA methylation profile as a diagnostic tool, and highlight similarities with another disorder related to the CCNK gene.
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  • Inverted duplication deletion 8p (invdupdel(8p)) is a rare genetic condition linked to developmental delays and intellectual disabilities, often presenting with brain abnormalities.
  • A study analyzed 36 new cases, revealing that 97% of patients experienced developmental issues, with a significant number also suffering from seizures.
  • By comparing this data with 99 previously reported cases, researchers identified a specific 5.1 Mb region in chromosome 8 associated with abnormalities of the corpus callosum, offering insights into potential genetic factors involved.
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Cockayne syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder characterized by growth failure and progressive multisystem dysfunction caused by deficient nucleotide excision repair. Whereas metronidazole (MTZ) hepatotoxicity is quite rare in the general population, cases of severe hepatic reaction to MTZ have been reported in CS patients. We report here the case of a 21-year-old CS patient who presented with jaundice following one week of treatment with MTZ combined with spiramycin for dental care.

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Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy 38 (EIEE38, MIM #617020) is caused by biallelic variants in ARV1, encoding a transmembrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum with a pivotal role in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) biosynthesis. We ascertained seven new patients from six unrelated families harboring biallelic variants in ARV1, including five novel variants. Affected individuals showed psychomotor delay, hypotonia, early onset refractory seizures followed by regression and specific neuroimaging features.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the clinical and genetic characteristics of β-galactosidase deficiency, focusing on two conditions: GM1-gangliosidosis and mucopolysaccharidosis IVB (MPSIVB).
  • Researchers analyzed data from 52 patients, finding a range of clinical symptoms in GM1-gangliosidosis from severe prenatal forms to adult onset.
  • The study identified numerous genetic variants, including 18 new ones, linking specific variants to distinct types of these disorders, ultimately aiming to improve patient classification and management.
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Article Synopsis
  • * Two adult cases (a mother and daughter) were identified with kidney issues, including kidney hypoplasia and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), leading to the diagnosis of TBS confirmed through genetic testing.
  • * A literature review of 44 adult TBS cases revealed that 10 had kidney disease, often diagnosed incidentally or due to complications, suggesting TBS could be more common in adults than previously thought, emphasizing the need for ongoing monitoring.
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Objective: Aiming to detect associations between neuroradiologic and EEG evaluations and long-term clinical outcome in order to detect possible prognostic factors, a detailed clinical and neuroimaging characterization of 67 cases of Aicardi syndrome (AIC), collected through a multicenter collaboration, was performed.

Methods: Only patients who satisfied Sutton diagnostic criteria were included. Clinical outcome was assessed using gross motor function, manual ability, and eating and drinking ability classification systems.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Prolidase is an important enzyme for metabolizing proline-rich proteins, and its deficiency leads to a rare genetic disorder with various symptoms including intellectual disability and skin lesions.
  • - The condition is characterized by multiple health issues such as recurrent infections, autoimmune disorders, and abnormalities in blood cell counts (cytopenia).
  • - This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of existing clinical data and research on prolidase deficiency, focusing on patient features, treatment options, and relevant studies.
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  • The study investigates Marfanoid habitus combined with intellectual disability (MHID), pointing out that current genetic testing methods only explain about 20% of cases.
  • Researchers conducted exome sequencing on a group of subjects to identify potential genetic causes, discovering eight genes with de novo variants in multiple unrelated individuals.
  • The findings suggest that these variants are linked to chromatin remodeling and neurodevelopmental disorders, indicating shared genetic mechanisms in MHID.
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Article Synopsis
  • Uniparental disomy (UPD) testing is advised during pregnancy for fetuses with balanced Robertsonian translocations involving chromosomes 14 or 15, which have a low estimated risk of ~0.6-0.8% for UPD.
  • A multicenter study involving 1,747 UPD tests revealed only one case of UPD(14) linked to a maternally inherited translocation, indicating a much lower risk than previously thought.
  • The updated estimated risk of UPD in these cases is about 0.06%, and since the risk of miscarriage from invasive testing is higher, prenatal UPD testing is not recommended, and parents can be reassured.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on 1p36 deletion syndrome, a genetic condition identified through prenatal testing, noted for developmental delays and facial features.
  • Ten new cases were diagnosed around 19 weeks gestation, with deletion sizes varying from 1.6 to 16 Mb, most cases showing no other chromosomal abnormalities.
  • Researchers suggest that certain ultrasound findings, like brain and heart defects, should alert doctors to the possibility of this syndrome.
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