title: [Neurological aspects of Fabry's disease].
abstract: Fabry disease is a rare X-linked disorder caused by deficient activity of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A. Progressive accumulation in lysosomes of the undegraded glycosphingolipids leads to a multi-system disease with dermatological, ocular, renal, cardiac, and neurological manifestations. Peripheral nerve involvement, neuropathic pain and chronic acroparesthesiae, are frequent and early-onset signs revealing the disease. They are due to the involvement of small nerve fiber, thus explaining the normality of electroneuromyography. Cochleo-vestibular and autonomic nervous system involvement is frequent. Besides rare aseptic meningitis, central nervous system involvement is essentially represented by cerebrovascular events (stroke, transient ischemic attack). Affecting essentially the posterior circulation, their etiologies have to be clarified: progressive stenosis of small vessels with globotriasocylceramide deposits, arterial remodeling, endothelial dysfunction, pro-thrombotic state, cerebral hypoperfusion consecutive to dysautonaumy, cardiac embolism. MRI shows numerous silent lesions, increasing with age, mainly in small perforant arteries (periventricular white matter, brainstem, cerebellum, basal ganglia). Pulvinar calcifications, due to an increase in cerebral hyperperfusion, could be specific of Fabry disease. Positon tomography analysis shows a reduced cerebral flow velocity and impaired cerebral autoregulation, secondary to the glycosphingolipid storage in vascular endothelial cells. Enzyme replacement therapy has to be carefully monitored.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie, CHU Montpied, Clermont-Ferrand. pclavelou@chu-clermontferrand.fr
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clavelou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Besson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Elziere
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrier
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pinard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hermier
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Artigou
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Germain
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D041321:Chromosomes, Human, X; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism; D000795:Fabry Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D009460:Neurologic Examination
chemical_list: D006028:Glycosphingolipids