Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0004134 (ataxia)
 15,886 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Acanthocytes have a distinct morphology and are not normally found in peripheral blood. They occur in association with at least three neurological syndromes. In abetalipoproteinaemia, a progressive spinocerebellar ataxia and retinopathy occurs secondary to malabsorption of vitamin E. Cases with chorea are often familial, with orofacial dyskinesia and an axonal neuropathy causing areflexia and muscle wasting. Areflexia and a subclinical myopathy also occur in the McLeod syndrome, in which there is abnormal expression of Kell blood group antigens. The exact mechanism of acanthocytosis in each disorder remains uncertain: passive changes in membrane lipids, surface receptor/ligand interactions, and a primary membrane defect are among the possibilities.
 ...
PMID:Acanthocytosis and neurological impairment--a review. 268 30

The term acanthocytosis is derived from the Greek for "thorn" and is used to describe a peculiar spiky appearance of erythrocytes. Acanthocytosis is found to be associated with at least three hereditary neurological disorders that are generally referred to as neuroacanthocytosis. Abetalipoproteinaemia is an autosomal recessive condition, characterised by absence of serum apolipoprotein B containing lipoproteins leading to fat intolerance and fat-soluble vitamin deficiency. This results in a progressive spinocerebellar ataxia with peripheral neuropathy and retinitis pigmentosa. Chorea-acanthocytosis is also an autosomal recessive condition and is characterised by chorea, orofaciolingual dyskinesia, dysphagia, dysarthria, areflexia, seizures and dementia. Some of its features, including choreic movements, peripheral neuropathy with areflexia, elevated serum creatine kinase levels and myopathy are shared by another form of neuroacanthocytosis, McLeod syndrome. Patients affected by this X-linked disorder also show abnormal expression of Kell blood group antigens and a permanent haemolytic state. In addition to these cases, acanthocytosis is occasionally associated with other neurological disorders, such as Hallervorden-Spatz disease. For each of the neuroacanthocytosis syndromes we review the main clinical features and their molecular bases. The recent molecular genetics findings are the first step towards the understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms and eventually the search for effective treatments.
 ...
PMID:Clinical features and molecular bases of neuroacanthocytosis. 1218 48