Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL): A challenging diagnosis and a rare multiple sclerosis mimic

Exploring the Impact of Neurophysiotherapy in Managing Leukoencephalopathy Challenges: A Case Report

Leukoencephalopathy (LE), characterized by structural changes affecting cerebral white matter, presents a complex clinical picture with diverse etiologies. This case report details the presentation, clinical findings, and physiotherapy management of a 32-year-old female with colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R)-related leukoencephalopathy and a history of diabetes and hypertension. She suddenly stopped her medications, which led to the worsening of her condition. She presented with symptoms of headache, slurred speech, visual disturbances, cognitive impairment, and impaired balance and coordination, due to which her activities of daily living were affected. The symptoms highlighted the challenges and multidisciplinary approach required for its management. The patient exhibited neurological deficits, cognitive decline, and abnormal reflexes, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealing white matter abnormalities. Outcome measures demonstrated significant improvements in cognitive and functional abilities, emphasizing the effectiveness of tailored rehabilitation in managing the complexities of colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor-related leukoencephalopathy. A six-week physiotherapy rehabilitation program addressed various domains, including strength training, task-specific exercises, errorless learning, facial muscle retraining, balance exercises, visual restoration therapy, and mobility training. All these interventions effectively improved her functional capacity and made the patient independent in performing activities of daily living.

Case report: Heterozygous mutation in HTRA1 causing typical cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy

Background: Cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CARASIL) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by baldness, recurrent ischemic stroke, lumbago, headache, and dementia which is closely related to homozygous mutations of the high-temperature requirement serine peptidase A1 (HTRA1) gene. Heterozygous mutations of HTRA1 are usually considered to be non-pathogenic. Although it has been revealed that only a few patients with heterozygous mutations could present some manifestations, their clinical symptoms were atypical, milder, and always with a lower frequency of extra-neurological features. Here, a rare patient with heterozygous mutation of HTRA1 who had all typical features of CARASIL as well as severe clinical symptoms and rapid progression was initially reported in our study. Case presentation: A 43-year-old female patient presented with a gradual onset of headache and cognitive decline. As time progressed, her headache intensified and symptoms of dementia began to manifest gradually. During her early years, she had thinning hair and subsequently experienced two occurrences of ischemic strokes in her thirties. Furthermore, she also had a history of lumbago and urinary retention before visiting our hospital. The patient's magnetic resonance imaging revealed the presence of widespread white matter lesions, infarctions, and microbleeds, in addition to lumbar disc herniation and degenerative lesions. The observed clinical characteristics had a strong correlation with CARASIL, and the patient was diagnosed with a heterozygous missense mutation of 905G>A (Arg302Gln) in the HTRA1 gene. The patient has been under continuous follow-up for a duration exceeding 3 years subsequent to her release from the hospital. She underwent cystostomy, and symptoms of bulbar paralysis developed in a progressive way. Currently, there has been a notable decrease in motor function and activities of daily living, resulting in the individual being confined to bed for a duration exceeding 1 year. Conclusion: This case suggests that patients carrying a heterozygous mutation in G905A may also have typical clinical features of CARASIL, which allows us to have a more comprehensive understanding of CARASIL.