Pontobulbar palsy and neurosensory deafness (Brown-Vialetto-van Laere syndrome) with hyperintense brainstem nuclei on magnetic resonance imaging: new finding in three siblings.
Three siblings (one boy and two girls) with Brown-Vialetto-van Laere syndrome are reported. A peculiar feature of onset with hearing loss in a patient with multiple cranial nerve palsies and a positive family history suggests this diagnosis. In our family, an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance was seen. In addition, we observed that early onset was associated with rapid deterioration and death. Optic nerve involvement and hyperintensity of the brainstem nuclei on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are two new features described in this report.
Koul
Roshan
R
Division of Paediatric Neurology, Department of Child Health, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, PO Box 38, Al-Khod 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. koul@squ.edu.om
Jain
Rajeev
R
Chacko
Alexander
A
Alfutaisi
Amna
A
Hashim
Javad
J
Chacko
Jacob
J
D000293:Adolescent; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D010244:Bulbar Palsy, Progressive / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009900:Optic Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D010375:Pedigree; D013577:Syndrome