[Neuroacanthocytosis and epilepsy]

[Epilepsy revealing chorea-acanthocytosis: about a case]

Chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the VSP13A gene on chromosome 9q21. It is characterized by neurological symptoms, psychiatric manifestations and multisystem involvement resulting in myopathy, axonal neuropathy and presence of spiculated red blood cells or acanthocytes. Rarely, epilepsy may be the early symptom in these patients. This can lead to serious delays in diagnosis. We here report the case of a patient with this disease who had seizures several years before the onset of typical manifestations.

Facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis: a case report

We report a 62 year-old-man with facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis (ChAc). He showed chorea that started 20 years ago. The orofacial dyskinisia with tongue and cheek biting resulted in facial cellulitis. The peripheral blood smear revealed acanthocytosis of 25%. The overall of chorea, orofacial dyskinetic disorder, peripheral neuropathy, disturbed behavior, acanthocytosis and the atrophy of caudate nuclei was suggestive of a diagnosis of ChAc. To our knowledge no similar cases of facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis (ChAc) were found in a review of the literature.