中国早期儿童型白质消融性白质脑病患儿17例自然病程随访及其基因型-表型分析

目的 通过观察和分析17例中国早期儿童型白质消融性白质脑病(VWM)患儿的自然病程发展,了解其主要神经系统表型的进展特点,初步进行基因型-表型分析.方法 选择2006年9月-2010年10月北京大学第一医院临床诊断的17例VWM中国患儿为研究对象,提取其外周血白细胞DNA,PCR扩增致病基因真核细胞翻译启动因子2B(EIF2B1～5)的外显子及外显子与内含子交界区进行分子诊断.对其神经系统障碍的进展进行随访分析.结果 1.基本情况:17例患儿中男12例,女5例.13例起病前发育正常.2.起病特点:起病年龄平均2.7岁(0.4～6.4岁),70%(12/17例)为感染或头部外伤后急性起病,30%(5/17例)无诱因亚急性起病,均以运动障碍起病.3.病程特点:末次随访平均病程4.30 a(0.30～8.70 a),均呈进行性加重,3例死亡.64%(11/17例)病程中伴发作性加重.已获得独走技能的患儿最早于起病后0.17 a不能独走,发病2.00 a后均不能独走.发病4.50 a后患儿均丧失行走能力,最早丧失行走能力的年龄为起病后0.42 a,丧失行走能力的平均年龄为5.2岁(2.0～11.0岁),起病年龄越小,丧失行走能力的年龄越早.认知功能障碍进展缓慢.6例(35%)伴惊厥.重型患儿中女童明显少于男童.4.基因型-表型关系:重型患儿中eIF2Bγ突变者多于eIF2Bε突变者,相同基因型(eIF2Bγ:I346T)患儿表型存在明显差异.结论 早期儿童型VWM中国患儿运动功能退化进展最为突出,进展速度快.目前尚缺乏明确的基因型-表型相关性.     

白质消融性白质脑病患儿12例临床与遗传学研究

目的对临床诊断为白质消融性白质脑病(VWM)的中国患儿进行真核细胞翻译启动因子2Bα-ε(eIF2Bα-ε)的相应编码基因(EIF2B1～5)突变分析,以期提高儿科医生对该病的认识。方法选择临床诊断为VWM的患儿为研究对象,分析其临床特征;进行EIF2B1～5基因突变筛查;对新发现的EIF2B5基因突变,在HEK293细胞中进行突变蛋白表达水平分析。结果2006至2008年在北京大学第一医院儿科临床诊断VWM患儿12例,其中男8例,女4例。发病前智力、运动发育正常或轻度落后;起病年龄为1岁6个月至6岁8个月,均亚急性起病,起病症状多为运动功能障碍。随访至2009年6月,病程为9个月至7年。均为病情进展性加重病程,其中7例伴发作性病情加重。头颅MRI检查均提示对称性大脑白质液化特征。共发现EIF2B5,EIF2B3和EIF2B2的16种突变,其中包括9种新突变:7种错义突变为EIF2B5:c.185AT(p.D62V),c.1004GC(p.C335S),c.1126AG(p.N376D);EIF2B3:c.140GA(p.G47E),c.1037TC(p.I346T);EIF2B2:c.254TA(p.V85E),c.922GA(p.V308M);1种无义突变为EIF2B5:c.805CT(R269X);1种缺失突变为EIF2B5:c.1827-1838del(p.S610-D613del)。其中EIF2B3突变占所有突变的18.8%(3/16)。蛋白表达水平分析发现EIF2B5基因的p.R296X和p.S610-D613del突变导致eIF2Bε的蛋白表达水平显著降低。结论12例患儿均符合VWM早期儿童型诊断,发现了9种EIF2B1～5的新突变,提示中国VWM患儿具有独特突变谱。新发现的EIF2B5p.R296X和p.S610-D613del突变可导致蛋白功能严重受损。     

Cerebral MRI abnormalities in a premature infant with later confirmed congenital central hypoventilation syndrome

We present a premature infant with an inability to ventilate spontaneously during sleep periods. In addition, the patient showed general hypotonia. The child had a delayed passage of stool and increased anal muscle tone, indicating Hirschsprung’s disease. The combination of these symptoms suggested congenital central hypoventilation syndrome, which was confirmed postmortem by DNA analysis showing a mutation in the PHOX2B gene. MRI of the brain showed damage to the white matter, including the internal capsula. This type of damage to the white matter has not been described before in a premature infant, who did not experience birth asphyxia.     

Ophthalmological abnormalities in children with cerebral white matter disorders.

The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children with severe neurological impairment has defined a subgroup with increased T2-signals from cerebral white matter. The causes of white matter abnormalities are for the most part unknown, despite extensive investigation. Their clinical correlates and characteristics have still to be systematically analysed and described. We have compared clinical, ophthalmological and electro-ophthalmological findings in such children to delineate neurological and MRI patterns and have sought to correlate with the progression of disease. Clinical and electro-ophthalmological investigations were performed in 26 children with cerebral white matter abnormalities of unknown aetiology; 25 of the 26 children showed abnormalities, 23 clinical and 18 electro-ophthalmological. Optic nerve abnormalities, severe visual impairment and strabismus were the most common. Electro-ophthalmological abnormalities were increased latencies and abnormal waveform of the visual evoked potentials (VEP). Children with progressive disease all had abnormal VEP, whereas none of the ten children with a normal VEP deteriorated. We conclude that children with cerebral white matter abnormalities almost invariably had ophthalmological and often VEP abnormalities. Normal VEP was correlated with non-progressive disorder, as was hypoplasia or malformation of the papilla, whereas abnormal VEP were associated with progressive disease.     

Neuroimaging abnormalities in Griscelli's disease

Griscelli's disease is a rare autosomal recessive immunodeficiency syndrome. We report a 7-1/2-month-old white girl who presented with this syndrome, but initially without neurological abnormalities. Initial CT of the brain was normal. Despite haematological remission with chemotherapy, she developed neurological symptoms, progressing to coma. At this time, CT showed areas of coarse calcification in the globi pallidi, left parietal white matter and left brachium pontis. Hypodense areas were present in the genu and posterior limb of the internal capsule on the right side, as well as posterior aspects of both thalami, together with minimal generalised atrophy. MRI revealed areas of increased T2 signal and a focal area of abnormal enhancement in the subcortical white matter. Griscelli's disease should be added to the list of acquired neuroimaging abnormalities in infants.     

Alexander disease: Early presence of cerebral MRI criteria

Alexander disease is a rare neurodegenerative disorder. Its most frequent subtype, the infantile form, is characterized by an early onset and a rapid neurological deterioration during the first months of life.Since the publication of cerebral radiological criteria in 2001, the disease has often been recognized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings.We report the case of a girl who at the age of 3 months presented with partial seizures and a normal neurological examination. MRI revealed the presence of a periventricular rim, extensive frontal white matter abnormalities, abnormalities of the basal ganglia and thalami and contrast enhancement involving optic chiasm, fornix, hypothalamus and mamillary bodies, corresponding to four of the five reported MRI criteria for Alexander disease. Additional MRI abnormalities not described so far were also observed. The diagnosis was confirmed by genetic analysis.This case illustrates that diagnostic MRI abnormalities of Alexander disease may be present at a very young age, long before the appearance of characteristic clinical signs. Early diagnosis by MRI allows prompt counselling of families.     

Brain White Matter Abnormality in a Newborn Infant with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Several studies have described brain white matter abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children and adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), while the brain MRI findings of newborn infants with CAH have not been clarified. We report a newborn boy with CAH who presented brain white matter abnormality on MRI. He was diagnosed as having salt-wasting CAH with a high 17-OHP level at neonatal screening and was initially treated with hydrocortisone at 8 days of age. On day 11 after birth, he had a generalized tonic seizure. No evidence of serum electrolyte abnormalities was observed. Brain MRI revealed white matter abnormalities that consisted of bilateral small diffuse hyperintensities on T1-weighted images with slightly low intensity on T2-weighted images in the watershed area. Several factors associated with brain white matter abnormalities in adults with CAH, such as increasing age, hypertension, diabetes and corticosteroid replacement, were not applicable. Although the cause of the phenomenon in this case is unclear, brain white matter abnormality could be observed in newborn infants with CAH as well as in adult patients.     

Clinical characteristics of children with cerebral white matter abnormalities.

The rapidly expanding use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in children with neurological impairments of unknown aetiology has revealed a large number of children with abnormalities of the cerebral white matter, some with leukodystrophy-like white matter abnormalities on MRI, but non-progressive in clinical presentation and course. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and neuroradiological characteristics of 26 children with white matter abnormalities of unknown origin and to find diagnostic clues or indicators of progressive versus nonprogressive disease. The typical child with white matter abnormalities was characterized by onset of symptoms within the first year of life, most often presenting as general developmental delay and hypotonia. Later-appearing signs were spasticity and ataxia and as a rule severe learning and motor disabilities. Serious ophthalmological signs were frequently seen. Perinatal adverse events were rare, infectious aetiologies not indicated but prenatal stigmata relatively common. The clinical course was progressive in 11 children and non-progressive in 15. Late onset presentation was associated with a progressive course whereas prenatal stigmata and asymmetrical white matter lesions only were found in children with a non-progressive disorder. The MRI showed three main patterns: a) a generalized increase of the T2 signal of the white matter in 12 children, b) a bilateral, symmetric but not generalized abnormality in nine and c) asymmetric, focal or multifocal pathology in five. Useful information as to clinical entities and course was obtained from the combined clinical and radiological assessment. A precise nosological diagnosis could be made in six cases. The study showed that white matter abnormalities in children constitute a heterogeneous group of rare and 'anonymous' conditions, motivating collaborative studies for further clarification of background and management.     

Good outcome with early empiric treatment of neural larva migrans due to Baylisascaris procyonis

We report a remarkably good outcome in a 14-month-old boy with early clinical diagnosis and aggressive empirical treatment of neural larva migrans caused by the raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis. He presented with fever, meningismus, lethargy, irritability and asymmetric spastic extremity weakness. Early findings of marked blood and cerebrospinal fluid eosinophilia and of diffuse white matter signal abnormality in the brain and spinal cord on MRI suggested a parasitic encephalomyelitis. Rapid presumptive treatment with albendazole and high-dose steroids halted progression of clinical signs. The diagnosis was confirmed by 2 sequential enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay studies positive for B procyonis serum immunoglobulin G and by Western blot. Field examination with soil sampling yielded infective Baylisascaris eggs. Repeat MRI 3 months later showed atrophy and diffuse, chronic white matter abnormalities, discordant with the marked clinical improvement in this interval. At 10 months, residual neurologic deficits included subtle paraparesis and moderate language delay. This case is the first in which spinal involvement in human Baylisascaris infection was clinically suspected and confirmed by neuroimaging. Importantly, early diagnosis and aggressive treatment of Baylisascaris meningo-encephalitis and myelitis with albendazole and high-dose steroids likely contributed to the good outcome in this patient, in contrast with previous reports.     

eIF2B-related multisystem disorder in two sisters with atypical presentations

Background

Vanishing white matter disease (VWM) is a chronic progressive leukoencephalopathy that is characterized by cerebellar ataxia and spasticity, together with cystic degeneration of the cerebral white matter as evidenced by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we report two sisters with EIF2B2 variants, who presented with delayed development and failure to thrive before 1 year of age, developed cataracts, and showed diffuse leukoencephalopathy.

磁共振成像表观扩散系数变化对新生儿化脓性脑膜炎脑损伤纵向评估

背景：既往尚无新生儿化脓性脑膜炎在不同颅脑并发症下ADC值的纵向变化研究。 目的：回顾性总结新生儿化脓性脑膜炎在发病后不同病程阶段的头颅MR表现,在髓鞘化过程中分析不同颅脑并发症下脑组织ADC值随病程的变化规律。 设计：病例对照研究。 方法：以足月新生儿化脓性脑膜炎并行头颅MR检查者为病例组,基于颅脑并发症中有无脑实质损伤灶和脑积水分为病例1组（无脑实质损伤灶和脑积水）、病例2组（有脑实质损伤灶,无脑积水）、病例3组（有脑积水无脑实质损伤灶）和病例4组（有脑实质损伤灶和脑积水）。以发病至头颅MR检查间隔时间0~7 d、~28 d、~60 d和~120 d分为病程A~D组;根据MR检查时患儿日龄,病程A组分为A1组（0~14 d）和A2组（~28 d）,病程B组分为B1组（~28 d）和B2组（~60 d）。与病例组同期因其他疾病在同院行常规头颅MR且未观察到异常病变的儿童为对照组。 主要结局指标：相同日龄或相同病程下MR评估新生儿化脓性脑膜炎脑实质ADC值变化趋势。 结果：173例新生儿化脓性脑膜炎进入本文分析,病例组MR检查302例次,病程A~D组有241例次MR检查的ADC值进入本文分析;对照组20例。随着日龄的增加,对照组和病例组ADC值均呈降低趋势。不同病程(相同日龄)比较结果中,大脑皮层、深部白质在各个病程中,病例1~3组和对照组ADC值差异均无统计学意义（胼胝体压部的部分病程除外）;皮层下白质在病程0~60 d中,病例2和3组ADC值明显低于对照组,病例3组及部分病程中病例2组ADC值明显低于病例1组,皮层下白质在病程61~120 d中,病例2、3组和对照组ADC值差异无统计学意义,病例1组(除外顶叶白质)ADC值明显高于对照组;深部灰质核团在病程0~30 d中,病例1~3组ADC值明显低于对照组,在病程31~120 d中,病例1~3组和对照组ADC值差异均无统计学意义。 结论：在新生儿化脓性脑膜炎患儿,皮层下白质在病程1~2个月ADC值降低,病程3~4个月时ADC值正常或升高,提示髓鞘化进程受阻;深部灰质核团ADC值在病程1个月内降低,而病程2~4个月时恢复正常。MR DWI定量ADC值有助于对无脑结构损伤的新生儿脑膜炎微观损伤的评估。     

Glutaric aciduria: Improved MR appearance after aggressive therapy

Advances in understanding the metabolic abnormalities which cause glutaric aciduria allow biochemical diagnosis on the basis of deficient enzyme and the potential for therapy. Brain abnormalities associated with this inborn error of metabolism have been demonstrated with CT and MR. The findings typically described are atrophy of the fronto-temporal regions with large insular cisterns and diffuse white matter hypodensities. We present a patient with glutatic aciduria, confirmed by enzymatic assay, who had these findings on CT and MR examination. Repeat imaging demonstrated significant improvement after dietary therapy and aggressive prevention of catabolism during febrile illness.     

Diffusion tensor MR imaging in neurofibromatosis type 1: expanding the knowledge of microstructural brain abnormalities

Background  

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a hereditary disease with a dominant autosomal pattern. In children and adolescents, it is frequently associated with the appearance of T2-weighted hyperintensities in the brain’s white matter. MRI with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is used to detect white matter abnormalities by measuring fractional anisotropy (FA).     

Sepsis and development impede muscle protein synthesis in neonatal pigs by different ribosomal mechanisms

In muscle, sepsis reduces protein synthesis (MPS) by restraining translation in neonates and adults. Even though protein accretion decreases with development as neonatal MPS rapidly declines by maturation, the changes imposed by development on the sepsis-associated decrease in MPS have not been described. Pigs at 7 and 26 d of age were infused for 8 h with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin, 0 and 10 μg · kg?1 · h?1). Fractional MPS rates and translation eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) activation in muscle were examined (n = 5-7/group). The LPS-induced decrease in MPS was associated with reduced ribosomal and translational efficiency, whereas the age-induced decrease in MPS occurred by decreasing ribosome number. Abundances of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and S6 decreased, and that of the repressor eIF4E · 4E-binding protein 1 (4EBP1) association increased in 26-d-old pigs--compared with 7-d-old pigs. LPS decreased the abundance of the active eIF4E ·eIF4G association and the phosphorylation of eIF4G across ages, whereas the abundance of eIF4G declined and eIF2α phosphorylation increased with age. Therefore, when lacking anabolic stimulation, the decrease in MPS induced by LPS is associated with reduced ribosomal efficiency and decreased eIF4E ·eIF4G assembly, whereas that induced by development involves reduced ribosomal number, translation factor abundance, and increased eIF2α phosphorylation.     

Aicardi-Goutières�ۺ���

??Aicardi-Goutières syndrome??AGS?? is a rare group of genetically determined disorders mainly with neurological and skin involvement. The main clinical features include multiple intracranial calcification??white matter changes??chronic lymphocytosis in cerebrospinal fluid??CSF????chilblains or other skin lesions. Seven pathogenic genes have been identified??including TREX1??RNASEH2B??RNASEH2C??RNASEH2A??SAMHD1??ADAR1 and IFIH1. This article will comprehensively discuss AGS in its pathogenesis??clinical manifestations??auxiliary examination??diagnosis and differential diagnosis??therapies and prognosis.     

An unusual neuroimaging finding and response to immunotherapy in a child with genetically confirmed vanishing white matter disease

Background

We present an unusual neuroimaging finding in a young girl with genetically confirmed vanishing white matter disease and a possible response to immunotherapy.

Adrenoleukodystrophy

Adrenoleukodystrophy is a hereditary disorder characterized by progressive demyelination of cerebral white matter and adrenal insufficiency. Typical CT and MRI findings in the brain have been documented recently and consist of bilateral white matter abnormalities. We report the case of an 8-year-old boy whose CT and MRI scans showed unusually florid unilateral abnormalities.     

Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy and cortical dysplasia.

Congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD) encompasses a heterogenous group of muscle disorders with autosomal recessive inheritance, characterized by muscular weakness and hypotonia at birth or within the first few months of life and developmental delay. Merosin-deficient CMD is a clinically distinct form which may be associated with significant abnormalities of the brain detectable by neuroimaging. We report two siblings of consanguineous parents with merosin-deficient CMD in an Irish family who in addition to the characteristic white matter abnormalities on neuroimaging, had occipital dysplasia. Clinical, electrophysiological muscle biopsy findings and neuroimaging were very similar in both cases. Although merosin-deficient CMD with white matter abnormalities on neuroimaging is well documented in the literature, the association with occipital dysplasia has only rarely been reported. The appearance of an identical cortical defect in these siblings suggests an underlying genetic mechanism.     

Magnetic resonance imaging changes in Fabry disease

Recognized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in the brains of patients with Fabry disease include the consequences of infarction and haemorrhage, non-specific white and grey matter lesions, vascular anomalies, in particular dolicho-ectasia, and a characteristic appearance of the posterior thalamus. A preliminary analysis of MRI findings in patients registered in FOS, the Fabry Outcome Survey, indicates that most patients had abnormal scans (25/47). The commonest abnormality, in males and females, was the presence of cerebral white matter lesions, the number of which increased with patient age.
Conclusion: MRI is a valuable resource for assessing the CNS complications of Fabry disease, and their response to time and treatment.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in adenylosuccinate lyase deficiency: a report of seven cases and a review of the literature

Adenylosuccinate lyase (ADSL) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of purine metabolism. Patients may present with a wide range of neurological symptoms. Head imaging abnormalities have been reported only rarely in the scientific literature and include atrophy of the cerebral cortex, corpus callosum, cerebellar vermis, lack of myelination, delayed myelination, anomalies of the white matter, and lissencephaly. The pathogenesis of abnormalities remains unknown. To further the understanding of the spectrum of brain abnormalities associated with ADSL deficiency, we examined the magnetic resonance findings in seven Polish patients with different clinical phenotypes and genotypes. Head MRI showed impaired white matter myelination with various degrees of global supra- and infratentorial white matter loss including widening of the lateral ventricles, enlargement of the subarachnoid spaces, atrophy of the cerebrum, hypoplasia of the cerebellar hemispheres and enlargement of the cisterna magna, and white matter abnormal hyperintense signal on T₂-weighted sequences. We recommend performing a detailed analysis of urine and plasma purine metabolites in patients who have neurological findings, including developmental delay, microcephaly, autistic features, neonatal encephalopathy, and seizures especially if MRI findings such as delayed or lack of myelination, white matter abnormal signal, and atrophy of the cerebrum and/or cerebellum are also present. Greater awareness of adenylosuccinate lyase deficiency among general pediatricians, neonatologists, pediatric neurologists, and also radiologists is the key to identifying the disorder at an early stage.