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Query: UMLS:C1762617 (weakness)
 37,932 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We report a case of congenital hypomyelination neuropathy presenting at birth. The infant had generalized hypotonia and weakness. There was decreased respiratory effort along with a right phrenic nerve and left vocal cord paralyses. Tongue fasciculations were present. Deep tendon reflexes were absent in the upper extremities and hypoactive (1+) in the lower extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head revealed no intracranial abnormalities, including normal cerebral myelination. Nerve conduction study showed absence of motor and sensory action potentials in the hands when the nerves in the upper limbs were stimulated. A motor response could be elicited only in the proximal leg muscles. Needle electromyography study was normal in the proximal limb muscles, but showed active denervation in the distal muscles of the arm and leg. These findings were thought to be consistent with a length-dependent sensorimotor peripheral polyneuropathy of axonal type with greater denervation of the distal muscles. A biopsy of the quadriceps muscle showed mild variability in fiber diameter, but no group typing or group atrophy. The muscle fibers showed no intrinsic abnormalities. Biopsy of the sural nerve showed scattered axons with very thin myelin sheaths. There was also a nearly complete loss of large diameter myelinated fibers. No onion bulb formations were noted. These findings were thought to be consistent with congenital hypomyelination neuropathy with a component of axonopathy. DNA analysis for identification of previously characterized mutations in the genes MPZ, PMP22, and EGR2 was negative. Several attempts at extubation failed and the infant became increasingly ventilator-dependent with increasing episodes of desaturation and hypercapnea. He also developed increasing weakness and decreased movement of all extremities. He underwent surgery at 2 months of age for placement of a gastrostomy tube and a tracheostomy. He was discharged from the hospital on a ventilator at 6 months of age. The infant was 13 months old at the time of submission of this report. Although he appears cognitively normal, he remains profoundly hypotonic and is on a home ventilator. There was no evidence of progressive weakness. Congenital hypomyelination neuropathy is a rare form of neonatal neuropathy that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a newborn with profound hypotonia and weakness. It appears to be a heterogeneous disorder with some of the cases being caused by specific genetic mutations.
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PMID:Congenital hypomyelination neuropathy in a newborn infant: unusual cause of diaphragmatic and vocal cord paralyses. 1169 79

To determine whether Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) with pyramidal features is genetically distinct from other dominantly inherited axonal neuropathies, the authors examined all chromosomal loci and genes for axonal CMT. Two families were identified with an axonal CMT phenotype with distal wasting, weakness, pes cavus, sensory loss, and mild pyramidal signs (including extensor plantar responses, mild increase in tone, and preserved or increased reflexes but no spastic gait). Linkage studies excluded CMT2A, 2B, 2D, 2E, and 2F; ALS4; and HMN2. There were no mutations in the PMP22, MPZ/Po, or EGR2 genes.
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PMID:CMT with pyramidal features. Charcot-Marie-Tooth. 1260 Nov 14

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) provides a human model to investigate the role of PMP22 in myelinated peripheral nerve, since the disease is caused by a deletion of one of the two PMP22 alleles. To systematically characterize the phenotype of HNPP, we prospectively evaluated the clinical features and electrophysiological findings in 17 genetically confirmed patients, 7 men and 10 women, ranging in age from 9 to 66 years (mean, 41 +/- 13). Fifteen symptomatic patients presented with episodes of transient focal weakness or sensory loss that were usually related to particular activities causing nerve compression, including stretching or minor repetitive focal trauma. No patient sought medical attention for symptoms of a symmetric polyneuropathy. Neurological examinations were either normal or mildly abnormal. Neither focal slowing of nerve conduction studies, nor reduction in compound muscle action potential (CMAP) or sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes consistently predicted the site of symptoms. We conclude that the majority of patients with HNPP present with transient, recurrent, focal symptoms of weakness or sensory loss in the distribution of individual nerves or plexus, and that a diffuse symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathy is an unusual presentation of HNPP. These studies suggest that the function of PMP22, at least in part, is to stabilize myelin so that it will be protected from injuries resulting from repetitive, minor trauma.
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PMID:Loss-of-function phenotype of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies. 1475 84

We investigated early peripheral nervous system impairment in PMP22-transgenic rats ("CMT rat"), an established animal model for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease 1A, at postnatal day 30 (P30), when the clinical phenotype is not yet apparent. Hemizygous CMT1A rats and wildtype littermates were studied by means of behavioral examination, electrophysiology, molecular biology, and light microscopy analysis. Behavioral studies only showed, a mild, but significant, decrease in toe spread 1-5, suggesting a weakness of distal foot muscles in CMT1A rats compared with normal littermates. Nerve conduction studies disclosed a severe slowing in motor conduction velocity, a temporal dispersion and a dramatic decrease of amplitude of motor waves in P30 transgenic animals. Coherently with a demyelinating process, affected nerves showed a significant thinning of myelin. Interestingly, axonal diameter and area were unchanged, but expression of non-phosphorylated neurofilaments was increased in CMT1A rats compared with normal controls. Our results confirm the fidelity of this animal model to human disease. Similarly, in young CMT1A patients, the MCV is significantly reduced and the muscle weakness is confined to distal segments, whereas morphological and morphometrical signs of axonal atrophy are absent. However, the presence of a molecular and functional damage of the axons suggests that this may be the correct moment to start neuroprotective therapies.
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PMID:Early abnormalities in sciatic nerve function and structure in a rat model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 1A disease. 1547 94

Inherited neuropathies are clinically and genetically heterogeneous. At least 28 genes and 12 loci have been associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) and related inherited neuropathies. Most causes of inherited neuropathy have been discovered by positional cloning technique and in the past two years, the pace of CMT gene discovery has accelerated. Genetic studies have revealed the following gene mutations as the causes of inherited neuropathies; PMP22, MPZ, EGR2, SOX10, SIMPLE/LITAF, ARHGEF10 for CMT1 (autosomal dominant demyelinating form); GDAP1, MTMR2, SBF2/MTMR13, KIAA1985, NDRG1 PRX for CMT4 (autosomal recessive demyelinating form), MFN2, KIF1B, RAB7, GARS, NEFL, HSPB1, HSPB8 for CMT2 (autosomal dominant axonal form); LMNA, GAN1, KCC3, TDP1, APTX, SETX for AR-CMT2 (autosomal recessive axonal form); GIB1 for CMTX (X-linked CMT); DNM2 for CMT-DI (autosomal dominant CMT with intermediate nerve conduction velocities); and DHH for minifascicular neuropathy. These discovered CMT causing genes/proteins include those which show unpredictable correlations with the peripheral nervous system. However, these genes/proteins are definitely important for the peripheral nerve, and their discovery should pave the way for dramatic progress in the understanding of peripheral nerve biology. On the other hand, genotype-phenotype correlations of these genes are also important in order to understand the pathomechanisms of inherited neuropathy. Because, based on mutation studies, a large number of genes associated with both the CMT1/4 and CMT2 forms have been identified, it is usually difficult to predict the causative gene based on clinical information from patients without specific complications. To clarify the specific features and molecular mechanisms of five diseases that we previously reported, we reviewed recent progress in HMSN-P linked to chromosome 3, CMT4F caused by PRX, CMT4A caused by GDAP1, CMT4B2 caused by SBF2/MTMR13, and SCAN1 caused by TDP1. HMSN-P is characterized by late onset, proximal dominant severe muscle weakness, fasciculations, muscle cramp and sensory involvement. HMSN-P is a primary neuronopathy. Mutations in periaxin are associated with a broad spectrum of demyelinating neuropathies including DSS, a sensory dominant form and early onset slowly progressive CMT. Pathologically, loss of myelinated fibers, demyelination, small onion bulb formations, tomacula formation and myelin foldings were seen in sural nerves. Absence of septate like junction in the paranodal loop suggests that periaxin could be required for the adhesion complex. GDAP1 is a relatively common cause of CMT4. Half of reported patients showed the demyelinating form, while the rest showed the axonal form. The typical feature of CMT4A is paresis of the vocal cords and diaphragm. CMT4B2 is characterized by autosomal recessive, juvenile onset glaucoma and focally folded myelin in sural nerves. SBF2/MTMR13 mutations cause CMT4B2. Early onset glaucoma was seen in patients with nonsense mutations. SBF2/MTMR13 and MTMR2, which is the cause of CMT4B1, could be acting on the same 3-phosphoinositide signaling pathway. Clinical phenotypes of patients with TDP1, APTX, or SETX mutations share common clinical findings, namely cerebellar ataxia and axonal neuropathy. TDP1 and aprataxin both act on the single strand break repair pathway, with TDP1 working specifically on topoisomerase I related SSBR. Senataxin is a RNA helicase acting on RNA maturation and termination in yeast. Since these three proteins share a common pathway, disruption in any of them could induce a delay in the transcription process. The low rate of protein supply could lead to deaths of large neuronal cells.
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PMID:[Molecular genetics of inherited neuropathies]. 1654 90

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP; also called tomaculous neuropathy) is an autosomal-dominant disorder that produces a painless episodic, recurrent, focal demyelinating neuropathy. HNPP generally develops during adolescence, and may cause attacks of numbness, muscular weakness, and atrophy. Peroneal palsies, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other entrapment neuropathies may be frequent manifestations of HNPP. Motor and sensory nerve conduction velocities may be reduced in clinically affected patients, as well as in asymptomatic gene carriers. The histopathological changes observed in peripheral nerves of HNPP patients include segmental demyelination and tomaculous or "sausage-like" formations. Mild overlap of clinical features with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease type 1 (CMT1) may lead patients with HNPP to be misdiagnosed as having CMT1. HNPP and CMT1 are both demyelinating neuropathies, however, their clinical, pathological, and electrophysiological features are quite distinct. HNPP is most frequently associated with a 1.4-Mb pair deletion on chromosome 17p12. A duplication of the identical region leads to CMT1A. Both HNPP and CMT1A result from a dosage effect of the PMP22 gene, which is contained within the deleted/duplicated region. This is reflected in reduced mRNA and protein levels in sural nerve biopsy samples from HNPP patients. Treatment for HNPP consists of preventative and symptom-easing measures. Hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy (HNA; also called familial brachial plexus neuropathy) is an autosomal-dominant disorder causing episodes of paralysis and muscle weakness initiated by severe pain. Individuals with HNA may suffer repeated episodes of intense pain, paralysis, and sensory disturbances in an affected limb. The onset of HNA is at birth or later in childhood with prognosis for recovery usually favorable; however, persons with HNA may have permanent residual neurological dysfunction following attack(s). Episodes are often triggered by infections, immunizations, the puerperium, and stress. Electrophysiological studies show normal or mildly prolonged motor nerve conduction velocities distal to the affected brachial plexus. Pathological studies have found axonal degeneration in nerves examined distal to the plexus abnormality. In some HNA pedigrees there are characteristic facial features, including hypotelorism. The prognosis for recovery of normal function of affected limbs in HNA is good, although recurrent episodes may cause residual deficits. HNA is genetically linked to chromosome 17q25, where mutations in the septin-9 (SEPT9) gene have been found.
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PMID:Inherited focal, episodic neuropathies: hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies and hereditary neuralgic amyotrophy. 1677 74

We report herein a 54-year-old man who first noticed muscle weakness of the hands and legs and hypesthesia of the legs at 20-years-old. Symptoms gradually worsened. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT 1A) was diagnosed on the basis of a nerve conduction study and PMP22 gene duplication. Increased levels of cerebrospinal fluid proteins were identified and cervical and lumbosacral nerve root hypertrophy was evident on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CMT 1A with increased CSF proteins and nerve root hypertrophy was carefully evaluated clinically and electrophysiologically to rule out other motor sensory neuropathies such as CIDP. Increased levels of CSF proteins in this case might have resulted from circulatory disturbance of CSF in hypertrophic nerve roots.
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PMID:[Case of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A with increased cerebrospinal fluid proteins and nerve root hypertrophy]. 1861 54

We studied a four-generation pedigree of a Japanese family with hereditary neuropathy to elucidate the genetic basis of this disease. Twelve members of the family were enrolled in this study. The clinical features were neurogenic muscle weakness with proximal dominancy in the lower extremities, sensory involvement, areflexia, fine postural tremors, painful muscle cramps, elevated creatine kinase levels, recurrent paroxysmal dry cough, and neurogenic bladder. We performed a genome-wide search using genetic loci spaced at about 13 Mb intervals. Although nine chromosomes (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 17, 19, and 22) had at least one region in which the logarithm of odds (LOD) score was over 1.0, no loci fulfilled the criteria for significant evidence of linkage. Moreover, we analyzed an extra 14 markers on 3p12-q13 (the locus of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, proximal dominant form) and an extra five markers on 3p22-p24 (the locus of hereditary sensory neuropathy with chronic cough) and observed LOD scores of <-3 on both 3p12-q13 and 3p22-p24. Mutation scanning of the entire coding regions of the MPZ and PMP22 genes revealed no mutations. We conclude that the disorder described here is a newly classified hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with autosomal dominant inheritance.
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PMID:Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with proximal dominancy in the lower extremities, urinary disturbance, and paroxysmal dry cough. 1866 16

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), also called hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN), is the most common inherited peripheral neuropathy, comprised by a group of genetically heterogeneous disorders that share clinical characteristics of progressive distal muscle weakness and atrophy, foot deformities, distal sensory loss, and depressed tendon reflexes. It can be categorized according to its electrophysiological or pathological features, transmission patterns, age of disease onset, and molecular pathology. CMT type 1 (CMT1; MIM 118200) is a group of autosomal dominant-inherited demyelinating neuropathies with a disease onset at or after childhood. Five different subtypes have been identified based on different causative genes. Among them, CMT1A (MIM #118220) is most common and is usually associated with a duplication of a 1.5-Mb region on chromosome 17p11.2, which includes peripheral myelin protein 22 gene (PMP22; MIM *601097). Currently, there is no cure or obviously effective disease-modifying treatment for CMT. Two potential effective therapeutic agents for CMT1A were investigated recently. One is ascorbic acid and another is neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), an important component of the Schwann cell autocrine survival loop. Early diagnosis can facilitate CMT patients to modify their life styles timely for minimizing nerve injury to delay or avoid disability. Molecular diagnosis of CMT can provide the basis for appropriate genetic counseling and further CMT research.
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PMID:[Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease]. 1897 29

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, also known as peroneal muscular atrophy or hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, is among the most frequent hereditary disorders of the nervous system. The relatively homogeneous clinical phenotype involves mainly progressive weakness and wasting of distal muscles; it starts and predominates in the peroneal muscles. Electrophysiological and pathology data distinguish two principal forms of CMT: demyelinating and axonal. More than 20 distinct genetic subtypes have been identified to date and other new loci and genes remain to be discovered, thus demonstrating wide genetic heterogeneity and a number of different pathophysiological mechanisms. The classification of these different forms is based on both the mode of inheritance--autosomal dominant, recessive or X-linked--and the neuropathy type--demyelinating or axonal or "intermediate". The principal dominant forms are CMT1A, due to a duplication or point mutation in the PMP22 gene, and CMTX, due to mutations in the connexin 32 gene. Autosomal recessive forms are more frequent in North Africa. The most common involve mutations of GDAP1 or lamin A/C and generally lead to more severe phenotypes than the dominant forms. The great genetic heterogeneity necessitates a strategy for genetic diagnosis. It is based in part on the classification of the different genetic forms and in part on the phenotypic particularities and the frequency of the responsible genes in the population under study.
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PMID:[Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease]. 1913 35


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