Movement disorders and inborn errors of metabolism in adults: A diagnostic approach

Summary  Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) may present in adolescence or adulthood with various movement disorders including parkinsonism, dystonia, chorea, tics or myoclonus. Main diseases causing movement disorders are metal-storage diseases, neurotransmitter synthesis defects, energy metabolism disorders and lysosomal storage diseases. IEMs should not be missed as many are treatable. Here we briefly review IEMs causing movement disorders in adolescence and adults and propose a simple diagnostic approach to guide metabolic investigations based on the clinical course of symptoms, the type of abnormal movements, and brain MRI abnormalities. Competing interests: None declared     

Hereditary spastic paraparesis in adults associated with inborn errors of metabolism: A diagnostic approach

Summary Spastic paraparesis is a general term describing progressive stiffness and weakness in the lower limbs caused by pyramidal tract lesions. This clinical situation is frequently encountered in adult neurology. The diagnostic survey is usually limited to searching for acquired causes (spinal cord compression, inflammatory, metabolic, infectious diseases) and the so-called ‘hereditary spastic paraparesis’. Although poorly recognized by neurologists, spastic paraparesis is also one of the multiple presentations of inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) in children and adults. Pyramidal signs are usually included in a diffuse neurological or systemic clinical picture; however, in some cases spastic paraparesis remains the only symptom for years. Since these metabolic causes are often treatable, it is essential to include them in the general diagnostic approach to spastic paraparesis. Here we review IEMs causing paraparesis in adults. Competing interests: None declared     

Epilepsy and inborn errors of metabolism in children

Epilepsy is a frequent symptom in inborn errors of metabolism, with virtually no specific seizure types or EEG signatures. It is most important to look quickly for those few inborn errors of metabolism in which specific therapies such as supplementation of cofactors or diets can make all the difference. If these investigations remain negative, epilepsy has to be treated with conventional antiepileptic drugs. Still, epilepsy is a potentially treatable symptom of many inborn errors of metabolism, and optimal treatment is of great importance for patients and their families.     

以癫痫为主要表现的儿童遗传代谢性疾病

目的提高对遗传代谢性疾病所致儿童癫痫的认识。方法采用回顾性方法,对我院以癫痫发作为主诉就诊,经血氨、乳酸、血同型半胱氨酸、尿有机酸气相色谱质谱联用分析、骨髓涂片、脑脊液检查、溶酶体酶活性分析、线粒体基因检测、线粒体酶活性分析确诊的先天代谢性缺陷病26例患儿的临床表现、生化特点以及诊疗情况进行回顾和分析。结果所有患儿均有癫痫发作,以部分性发作、痉挛发作为最常见发作形式,少数患者可有肌阵挛发作。患者多有不同程度的体格或智力运动发育迟滞,年长儿发病的线粒体脑肌病患者发病前智力正常,发病后出现智力运动倒退。脑电图表现以多灶独立性棘波、高度失律、背景慢波为主要表现。患者癫痫发作多难以控制,部分患者对因治疗后癫痫发作明显好转。结论先天代谢性疾病是儿童癫痫的病因之一;临床上应根据患儿发病急缓、生长发育、智力行为等,选择适宜的检查,以早期诊断。除了抗癫痫治疗以外,应根据不同的病因给予病因治疗。     

Peripheral neuropathy and inborn errors of metabolism in adults

Although they are classically viewed as paediatric diseases, it is now recognized that inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) can present at any age from childhood to adulthood. IEMs can involve the peripheral nervous system, mostly as part of a more diffuse neurological or systemic clinical picture. However, in some cases, the neuropathy can be the unique initial sign. Here, based on our personal experience and on a comprehensive literature analysis, we review IEMs causing neuropathies in adults. Diseases were classified according to the predominant type of neuropathies into (1) acute neuropathies, (2) mononeuropathy multiplex, (3) chronic axonal polyneuropathies, (4) chronic demyelinating polyneuropathies, (5) small-fibre neuropathies, and (6) lower motor neuron disease.     

Leukoencephalopathies associated with inborn errors of metabolism in adults

Summary  The discovery of a leukoencephalopathy is a frequent situation in neurological practice and the diagnostic approach is often difficult given the numerous possible aetiologies, which include multiple acquired causes and genetic diseases including inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs). It is now clear that IEMs can have their clinical onset from early infancy until late adulthood. These diseases are particularly important to recognize because specific treatments often exist. In this review, illustrated by personal observations, we give an overview of late-onset leukoencephalopathies caused by IEMs. Competing interests: None declared     

Clinical characteristics and diagnostic clues in inborn errors of creatine metabolism

Summary: Creatine deficiency syndromes are a newly described group of inborn errors of creatine synthesis (arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT) deficiency and guanidinoaceteate methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency) and creatine transport (creatine transporter (CRTR) deficiency). The common clinical denominator of creatine deficiency syndromes is mental retardation and epilepsy, suggesting the main involvement of cerebral grey matter (grey matter disease). Patients with GAMT deficiency exhibit a more complex clinical phenotype with dystonic hyperkinetic movement disorder and epilepsy that in some cases is unresponsive to pharmacological treatment. The common biochemical denominator of creatine deficiency syndromes is cerebral creatine deficiency which is demonstrated by in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Measurement of guanidinoacetate in body fluids may discriminate GAMT (high concentration), AGAT (low concentration) and CRTR (normal concentration). Further biochemical characteristics include changes in creatine and creatinine concentrations in body fluids. GAMT and AGAT deficiency are treatable by oral creatine supplementation, while patients with CRTR deficiency do not respond to this type of treatment. Further recognition of patients will be of major importance for the estimation of the frequency, for the understanding of phenotypic variations and for treatment strategies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Psychiatric manifestations revealing inborn errors of metabolism in adolescents and adults

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) may present in adolescence or adulthood as a psychiatric disorder. In some instances, an IEM is suspected because of informative family history or because psychiatric symptoms form part of a more diffuse clinical picture with systemic, cognitive or motor neurological signs. However, in some cases, psychiatric signs may be apparently isolated. We propose a schematic classification of IEMs into three groups according to the type of psychiatric signs at onset. Group 1 represents emergencies, in which disorders can present with acute and recurrent attacks of confusion, sometimes misdiagnosed as acute psychosis. Diseases in this group include urea cycle defects, homocysteine remethylation defects and porphyrias. Group 2 includes diseases with chronic psychiatric symptoms arising in adolescence or adulthood. Catatonia, visual hallucinations, and aggravation with treatments are often observed. This group includes homocystinurias, Wilson disease, adrenoleukodystrophy and some lysosomal disorders. Group 3 is characterized by mild mental retardation and late-onset behavioural or personality changes. This includes homocystinurias, cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis, nonketotic hyperglycinaemia, monoamine oxidase A deficiency, succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase deficiency, creatine transporter deficiency, and alpha and beta mannosidosis. Because specific treatments should be more effective at the 'psychiatric stage' before the occurrence of irreversible neurological lesions, clinicians should be aware of atypical psychiatric symptoms or subtle organic signs that are suggestive of an IEM. Here we present an overview of IEMs potentially revealed by psychiatric problems in adolescence or adulthood and provide a diagnostic strategy to guide metabolic investigations.     

Carnitine metabolism and inborn errors

Multiple sulphatase deficiency was studied in 3 siblings — one pair of monozygotic twins and their sister. The children's psychomotor development was arrested at the age of 18 to 24 months, and the hypotonic syndrome combined with signs of spasticity appeared. There was marked hepatosplenomegaly, conspicuously dry scaly skin with the decortication syndrome developing and persisting in the presence of pronounced cachexia. Also present were numerous X-ray abnormalities, metachromatically staining granules in the urine, and Alder-Reilly's bodies in the blood leukocytes and in specimens of bone marrow. Liver, skin and muscle biopsies performed simultaneously revealed accumulations of water-soluble mucopolysaccharides and deposits of sulphatides in the two twins. Enzyme assays demonstrated arylsulphatase A and B deficiency. The diagnosis was subsequently confirmed at all the three siblings' postmortem examinations.     

Parkinsonism and inborn errors of metabolism

Parkinsonism is a frequent neurological syndrome in adulthood but is very rare in childhood. Early forms of Parkinsonism have many distinctive features as compared to Parkinsonism in adults. In fact, rather than Parkinsonism, the general concept “hypokinetic-rigid syndrome” (HRS) is more accurate in children. In general, the terms “dystonia-parkinsonism”, “parkinsonism-plus”, or “parkinsonism-like” are preferred to designate these forms of paediatric HRS. Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) constitute an important group amongst the genetic causes of Parkinsonism at any age. The main IEM causing Parkinsonism are metal-storage diseases, neurotransmitter defects, lysosomal storage disorders and energy metabolism defects. IEM should not be neglected as many of them represent treatable causes of Parkinsonism. Here we review IEMs causing this neurological syndrome and propose diagnostic approaches depending on the age of onset and the associated clinical and neuroimaging features.     

Thiamine-responsive inborn errors of metabolism

Three different inherited disorders are known in which thiamine may exert a beneficial effect: maple syrup urine disease (MSUD), lactic acidaemia and the syndrome of megaloblastic anaemia with sensorineural deafness and diabetes mellitus. The amounts of thiamine which were used for long-term treatment varied from 20 to 2400 mg day^?1. Additional treatment, such as the reduction of dietary branched chain amino acids in MSUD, could not be omitted in some cases. It has been shown that the vitamin improves the stability of the branched chain ketoacid decarboxylase, although some weeks may be needed to observe thein vivo effect of treatment. A prolonged trial with high doses of thiamine should always be given.     

Sirtuin activation as a therapeutic approach against inborn errors of metabolism

Protein acylation has emerged as a large family of post translational modifications in which an acyl group can alter the function of a wide variety of proteins, especially in response to metabolic stress. The acylation state is regulated through reversible acylation/deacylation. Acylation occurs enzymatically or non-enzymatically, and responds to acyl-CoA levels. Deacylation on the other hand is controlled through the NAD⁺-dependent sirtuin proteins. In several inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs), accumulation of acyl-CoAs, due to defects in amino acid and fatty acid metabolic pathways, can lead to hyperacylation of proteins. This can have a direct effect on protein function and might play a role in pathophysiology. In this review we describe several mouse and cell models for IEM that display high levels of lysine acylation. Furthermore, we discuss how sirtuins serve as a promising therapeutic target to restore acylation state and could treat IEMs. In this context we examine several pharmacological sirtuin activators, such as resveratrol, NAD⁺ precursors and PARP and CD38 inhibitors.     

Modelling inborn errors of metabolism in zebrafish

The majority of human inborn errors of metabolism are fatal multisystem disorders that lack proper treatment and have a poorly understood mechanistic basis. Novel technologies are required to address this issue, and the use of zebrafish to model these diseases is an emerging field. Here we present the published zebrafish models of inborn metabolic diseases, discuss their validity, and review the novel mechanistic insights that they have provided. We also review the available methods for creating and studying zebrafish disease models, advantages and disadvantages of using this model organism, and successful examples of the use of zebrafish for drug discovery and development. Using a zebrafish to model inborn errors of metabolism in vivo, although still in its infancy, shows promise for a deeper understanding of disease pathomechanisms, onset, and progression, and also for the development of specific therapies.     

Mental retardation and inborn errors of metabolism

In countries where clinical phenylketonuria is detected by newborn screening inborn errors of metabolism are rare causes of isolated mental retardation. There is no international agreement about what type of metabolic tests must be applied in patients with unspecific mental retardation. However, and although infrequent, there are a number of inborn errors of metabolism that can present in this way. Because of the high recurrence risk and the possibility of specific therapies, guidelines need to be developed and adapted to different populations. The application of a universal protocol may result in a low diagnostic performance in individual ethnic populations. Consideration of associated signs (extraneurological manifestations, psychiatric signs, autistic traits, cerebellar dysfunction, epilepsy or dysmorphic traits) greatly improves the diagnostic fulfilment.     

Komrower lecture: Treatment of inborn errors of metabolism: A review

Summary Although the treatment of a small number of inborn errors is very good, for the majority the outcome is less satisfactory. This review examines current treatment critically and suggests how the information on which decisions about the management of patients with inborn errors might be improved. Presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the SSIEM, Paris, 6–9 September 2005 Competing interests: None declared     

Flux analysis of inborn errors of metabolism

Patients with an inborn error of metabolism (IEM) are deficient of an enzyme involved in metabolism, and as a consequence metabolism reprograms itself to reach a new steady state. This new steady state underlies the clinical phenotype associated with the deficiency. Hence, we need to know the flux of metabolites through the different metabolic pathways in this new steady state of the reprogrammed metabolism. Stable isotope technology is best suited to study this. In this review the progress made in characterizing the altered metabolism will be presented. Studies done in patients to estimate the residual flux through the metabolic pathway affected by enzyme deficiencies will be discussed. After this, studies done in model systems will be reviewed. The focus will be on glycogen storage disease type I, medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency, propionic and methylmalonic aciduria, urea cycle defects, phenylketonuria, and combined D,L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria. Finally, new developments are discussed, which allow the tracing of metabolic reprogramming in IEM on a genome-wide scale. In conclusion, the outlook for flux analysis of metabolic derangement in IEMs looks promising.