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Muthusamy K, Sivadasan A, Dixon L, Sudhakar S, Thomas M, Danda S, Wszolek ZK, Wierenga K, Dhamija R, Gavrilova R. Adult-onset leukodystrophies: a practical guide, recent treatment updates, and future directions. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1219324. [PMID: 37564735 PMCID: PMC10410460 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1219324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult-onset leukodystrophies though individually rare are not uncommon. This group includes several disorders with isolated adult presentations, as well as several childhood leukodystrophies with attenuated phenotypes that present at a later age. Misdiagnoses often occur due to the clinical and radiological overlap with common acquired disorders such as infectious, immune, inflammatory, vascular, metabolic, and toxic etiologies. Increased prevalence of non-specific white matter changes in adult population poses challenges during diagnostic considerations. Clinico-radiological spectrum and molecular landscape of adult-onset leukodystrophies have not been completely elucidated at this time. Diagnostic approach is less well-standardized when compared to the childhood counterpart. Absence of family history and reduced penetrance in certain disorders frequently create a dilemma. Comprehensive evaluation and molecular confirmation when available helps in prognostication, early initiation of treatment in certain disorders, enrollment in clinical trials, and provides valuable information for the family for reproductive counseling. In this review article, we aimed to formulate an approach to adult-onset leukodystrophies that will be useful in routine practice, discuss common adult-onset leukodystrophies with usual and unusual presentations, neuroimaging findings, recent advances in treatment, acquired mimics, and provide an algorithm for comprehensive clinical, radiological, and genetic evaluation that will facilitate early diagnosis and consider active treatment options when available. A high index of suspicion, awareness of the clinico-radiological presentations, and comprehensive genetic evaluation are paramount because treatment options are available for several disorders when diagnosed early in the disease course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Muthusamy
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Ajith Sivadasan
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Christian Medical College, Tamil Nadu, Vellore, India
| | - Luke Dixon
- Department of Radiology, Imperial College, NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sniya Sudhakar
- Department of Radiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maya Thomas
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Christian Medical College, Tamil Nadu, Vellore, India
| | - Sumita Danda
- Department of Medical Genetics, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | | | - Klaas Wierenga
- Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
| | - Radhika Dhamija
- Department of Clinical Genomics and Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Ralitza Gavrilova
- Department of Clinical Genomics and Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
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Yoshida T, Mizuta I, Yasuda R, Mizuno T. Clinical and radiological characteristics of older-adult-onset Alexander disease. Eur J Neurol 2021; 28:3760-3767. [PMID: 34245630 DOI: 10.1111/ene.15017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexander disease (ALXDRD) affects a wide range of ages from infancy to adulthood. However, only a few cases involving patients with older-adult onset over 65 years of age have been reported. In contrast, regarding in-house data, 10.6% of 85 cases with the identification of GFAP mutations demonstrated older-adult onset. This discrepancy may be due to poor awareness of such cases. METHODS The subjects included 9 older-adult-onset cases, with an onset age of 65 years or older. We characterized older-adult-onset ALXDRD by assessing neurological findings and several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters. RESULTS The age at onset, mean age at diagnosis, and mean period from onset to diagnosis were 68.2 years, 70.4 years, and 2.2 years, respectively. The main neurological features at diagnosis included pyramidal signs with muscle weakness and/or cerebellar ataxia. Two-thirds of cases were dependent, and the dependence was significantly correlated with a longer period from onset to diagnosis. Quantitative MRI evaluation for brainstem atrophy demonstrated distinctive morphological features of bulbospinal ALXDRD. The corpus callosum index tended to be negatively correlated with the period from onset to diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Although neurological and MRI findings of older-adult-onset ALXDRD patients showed typical features of bulbospinal ALXDRD, their disease progression was more severe than that in younger-adult-onset ALXDRD, and patients developed dependence within 2 years from onset. Cerebral white matter damage tended to progress in proportion to the duration of illness. Our case study may help to advance understanding of the clinical spectrum of ALXDRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomokatsu Yoshida
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Japan
| | - Ikuko Mizuta
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Japan
| | - Rei Yasuda
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Japan
| | - Toshiki Mizuno
- Department of Neurology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kamigyo-ku, Japan
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Hsu CL, Iwanowski P, Hsu CH, Kozubski W. Genetic diseases mimicking multiple sclerosis. Postgrad Med 2021; 133:728-749. [PMID: 34152933 DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2021.1945898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory neurodegenerative disorder manifesting as gradual or progressive loss of neurological functions. Most patients present with relapsing-remitting disease courses. Extensive research over recent decades has expounded our insights into the presentations and diagnostic features of MS. Groups of genetic diseases, CADASIL and leukodystrophies, for example, have been frequently misdiagnosed with MS due to some overlapping clinical and radiological features. The delayed identification of these diseases in late adulthood can lead to severe neurological complications. Herein we discuss genetic diseases that have the potential to mimic multiple sclerosis, with highlights on clinical identification and practicing pearls that may aid physicians in recognizing MS-mimics with genetic background in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chueh Lin Hsu
- Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Piotr Iwanowski
- Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Chueh Hsuan Hsu
- Department of Neurology, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wojciech Kozubski
- Department of Neurology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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Park J, Park ST, Kim J, Kwon KY. A case report of adult-onset Alexander disease clinically presenting as Parkinson's disease: is the comorbidity associated with genetic susceptibility? BMC Neurol 2020; 20:27. [PMID: 31952467 PMCID: PMC6967083 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-020-1616-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alexander disease is a rare neurological disease characterized by progressive spastic quadriparesis and bulbar palsy. Moreover, certain patients with adult-onset Alexander disease were often misdiagnosed as other neurodegenerative disorders. Case presentation Herein, we report an adult a 58-year-old woman presented with typical parkinsonism with good levodopa-responsiveness. The patient’s dopamine transporter scanning showed significant striatal depletion, while her brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral tadpole shape of medulla oblongata and bilateral high signal intensity at both cerebellar dentate nuclei in T2-weighted images, suggesting the possibility of a genetic disorder beyond Parkinson’s disease. The patient’s genetic test resulted in known pathogenic glial fibrillary acidic protein variant, indicating Alexander disease. Conclusion This unique case highlights genetically diagnosed Alexander disease may present with clinical Parkinson’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jongkyu Park
- Department of Neurology, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Tae Park
- Department of Radiology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jieun Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyum-Yil Kwon
- Department of Neurology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, 59 Daesagwan-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, 04401, Republic of Korea.
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