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Query: UMLS:C0008489 (chorea)
 2,102 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Acanthocytosis occurs because of ultrastructural abnormalities of the erythrocyte membranous skeleton resulting in reduced membrane fluidity. At least three hereditary neurological conditions are associated with it, although as yet the pathogenesis of the neurological features is unknown. In abetalipoproteinaemia, an autosomal recessive condition, vitamin E deficiency results in a progressive spinocerebellar syndrome associated with peripheral neuropathy and retinitis pigmentosa. Neuroacanthocytosis is also probably an autosomal recessive condition and is characterised by chorea, orofaciolingual dyskinesia, dysarthria, areflexia, seizures and dementia. McLeod syndrome is an X-linked recessive disorder usually presenting in males as a benign myopathy with areflexia, in association with a particular abnormality of expression of Kell blood group antigens. However, occasionally the neurological features are more severe and indistinguishable from those of neuroacanthocytosis. Recent advances in molecular genetics may assist better understanding of the disease mechanisms and the search for more effective treatments.
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PMID:Acanthocytosis and neurological disorders. 1128 40

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.
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PMID:Clinical features and molecular bases of neuroacanthocytosis. 1218 48

Neuroacanthocytosis is an inclusive term for a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the association of neurological abnormalities with red cell acanthocytosis. In the late 1960s, Levine et al. reported a family with a syndrome of neurological deficits such as choreiform involuntary movements, epileptic seizures, intellectual impairment, and paranoid ideation along with acanthocytosis without any disturbance in either alpha- or beta-lipoproteins nor retinitis pigmentosa. Critchley et al. also reported familial cases with acanthocytosis and neurological disorders without beta-lipoproteinemia. These cases have been classified as the Levine-Critchley syndrome of neuroacanthocytosis. Cases of neuroacanthocytosis have been classified into 2 groups depending on the presence or absence of movement disorders such as chorea. One group comprises the core neuroacanthocytosis syndromes in which neurodegeneration occurs primarily in the basal ganglia, specifically the striatum, causing movement disorders. The core neuroacanthocytosis syndromes mainly comprise of the two diseases, chorea-acanthocytosis and the McLeod syndrome. Huntington's disease-like 2, and pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) are very rare but these diseases can also be included in this group of syndromes. Advances in molecular genetics have enabled us to distinguish between these diseases. Recently, the hypoprebetalipoproteinemia, acanthocytosis, retinitis pigmentosa and pallidal degeneration syndrome (HARP syndrome) has been genetically shown to be an allelic form of PKAN. The second group of neuroacanthocytosis syndromes includes abetalipoproteinemia (Bassen-Kornzweig disease) and hypobetalipoproteinemia that are characterized by the abnormal decay of lipoprotein with the intestinal malabsorption of fat leading to neurological abnormalities and acanthocytosis. In this type of neuroacanthocytosis shows a progressive spinocerebellar ataxia with peripheral neuropathy and retinitis pigmentosa are observed, but movement disorders are not seen.
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PMID:[Neuroacanthocytosis update]. 1856 59

Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder that involves progressive extrapyramidal manifestations. Classical and atypical clinical presentations are known. Clinical details of patients admitted to the neurology ward or attending the movement disorder clinic of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences between January 2001 and July 2007 were reviewed. Sixteen patients (9 males and 7 females) were included in the study (median age 14 years; range 6-25). The most common clinical presentation was limb or cranial onset progressive dystonia. The patients with early onset had more frequent truncal and axial dystonia, including retrocollis, oromandibular-facial dystonia and chorea, dysarthria, pyramidal signs, gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, delay in milestones, retinitis pigmentosa, optic atrophy, oculomotor abnormalities, positive family history and acanthocytosis. Although rare, cerebellar ataxia, behavioural abnormalities, parkinsonism and apraxia of eyelid opening were exclusively seen in late onset patients. The present study highlights the heterogeneity of this disease entity and also describes certain unusual clinical features.
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PMID:Clinical spectrum of Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome in India. 1905 77