Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy with ataxia and late onset.
We report two brothers affected by a dominantly inherited form of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN), characterized by clinical features of sensory ataxia, and by late onset in the 6th decade. Sural nerve biopsy in the proband showed almost complete loss of myelinated fibers, and relative sparing of unmyelinated fibers. This family showed an atypical presentation of HSAN, which is usually characterized by acrodystrophic manifestations of infantile or juvenile onset. Although a few reports of HSAN presenting with late onset and/or ataxia appeared, this is the first report of a family with dominant HSAN characterized by late onset sensory ataxia.
Marbini
A
A
Institute of Neurology, University of Parma, Italy.
Pavesi
G
G
Cenacchi
G
G
Mazzucchi
A
A
Preda
P
P
Gemignani
F
F
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003712:Dendrites / Q000473:pathology; D005799:Genes, Dominant / Q000235:genetics; D009477:Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010375:Pedigree; D013132:Spinocerebellar Degenerations / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000473:pathology
D003094:Collagen