Infantile onset spinocerebellar ataxia caused by compound heterozygosity for Twinkle mutations and modeling of Twinkle mutations causing recessive disease.
Infantile onset spinocerebellar ataxia caused by compound heterozygosity for Twinkle mutations and modeling of Twinkle mutations causing recessive disease.
Whereas PEO1 mutations were not found in our cohort, POLG frequently caused ataxia with PEO (47%), psychiatric comorbidities (20%) and, more rarely, with epilepsy (14%).
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA 8) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by cerebellar ataxia with additional features, such as upper motor neuron signs, urinary incontinence and dysphagia.
Targeted deletion of the KLHL1 gene in Purkinje neurons results in dendritic deficits in these neurons, abnormal gait, and progressive loss of motor coordination in mice [He Y, Zu T, Benzow KA, Orr HT, Clark HB, Koob MD (2006) Targeted deletion of a single SCA8ataxia locus allele in mice causes abnormal gait, progressive loss of motor coordination, and Purkinje cell dendritic deficits.J Neurosci 26:9975-9982].
To establish whether the DNA expansion linked to spinocerebellar ataxia type 8 (SCA 8) is associated with ataxia in Scotland; to clarify the range of associated clinical phenotypes; and to compare the findings with previous reports.
We speculate that the presence of a large SCA8 CTA/CTG repeat allele influences the function of channels such as alpha(1A)-voltage-dependent calcium channel through changing or aberrant splicing, resulting in the development of cerebellar ataxia, especially in homozygous patients.
These results are in agreement with the hypothesis of the CTG expansion in the SCA8 locus being responsible for the SCA8ataxia showing reduced penetrance.
Isolated patients also had TNR expansions at the MJD1 (6%), SCA8 (6%), or FRDA (8%) genes; in addition, an expanded allele at the TATA-binding protein gene (TBP), with 43 CAGs, was present in a patient with ataxia and mental deterioration.