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Psychiatric manifestations in cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.

ABSTRACT: Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare and severe, but treatable, inborn disorder of bile acid biosynthesis and sterol storage with autosomal recessive inheritance and variable clinical presentation. CTX treatment consists of chenodeoxycholic acid and must be started as early as possible to prevent permanent disability. Psychiatric manifestations are rare and non-specific, and often lead to significant diagnostic and treatment delay. Therefore, better recognition of the gamut of psychiatric manifestations in CTX can diminish the risk of misdiagnosis and irreversible neurological deterioration. We hereby describe the psychiatric features in CTX. A complete review of all published cases of CTX in the medical literature was undertaken and the case reports with psychiatric presentation were collected and analyzed. We also describe the psychiatric features in relation to the neurological semeiology in six patients with CTX diagnosed at the La Salpêtrière Hospital. We conclude that psychiatric manifestations in CTX follow a bimodal/bitemporal pattern, appearing early in the disease course in the form of a behavioral/personality disorder associated with learning difficulties or mental retardation, or manifesting in advanced disease in the setting of dementia as rich neuropsychiatric syndromes, such as frontal, orbitofrontal or frontotemporal syndromes of cortico-subcortical dementia encompassing behavioral/personality disturbance, affective/mood disorders or psychotic disorders. Behavioral/personality disturbance in childhood or adolescence, especially when accompanied by learning difficulties, should therefore lead to further investigation to exclude CTX, as early diagnosis and treatment is critical for prognosis.

SUBMITTER: Fraidakis MJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3784765 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Psychiatric manifestations in cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.

Fraidakis M J MJ

Translational psychiatry 20130903

Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare and severe, but treatable, inborn disorder of bile acid biosynthesis and sterol storage with autosomal recessive inheritance and variable clinical presentation. CTX treatment consists of chenodeoxycholic acid and must be started as early as possible to prevent permanent disability. Psychiatric manifestations are rare and non-specific, and often lead to significant diagnostic and treatment delay. Therefore, better recognition of the gamut of psychiat ...[more]

PMID: 24002088

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Project description:Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) OMIM#213700 is a rare autosomal-recessive lipid storage disease caused by mutations in the CYP27A1 gene; this gene codes for the mitochondrial enzyme sterol 27-hydroxylase, which is involved in bile acid synthesis. The CYP27A1 gene is located on chromosome 2q33-qter and contains nine exons. A CYP27A1 mutation leads to decreased synthesis of bile acid, excess production of cholestanol, and consequent accumulation of cholestanol in tissues. Currently there is no consensus on the prevalence of CTX, one estimate being <5/100,000 worldwide. The prevalence of CTX due to the CYP27A1 mutation R362C alone is approximately 1/50,000 in Caucasians. Patients with CTX have an average age of 35 years at the time of diagnosis and a diagnostic delay of 16 years. Clinical signs and symptoms include adult-onset progressive neurological dysfunction (i.e., ataxia, dystonia, dementia, epilepsy, psychiatric disorders,peripheral neuropathy, and myopathy) and premature non-neurologic manifestations (i.e., tendon xanthomas, childhood-onset cataracts, infantile-onset diarrhea, premature atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, and respiratory insufficiency). Juvenile cataracts, progressive neurologic dysfunction, and mild pulmonary insufficiency are unique symptoms that distinguish CTX from other lipid storage disorders including familial dysbetalipoproteinemia, homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, and sitosterolemia, all of which might also present with xanthomas and cardiovascular diseases. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows bilateral lesions in the dentate nucleus of the cerebellum and mild white matter lesions. The classical symptoms and signs, namely elevated levels of cholestanol and bile alcohols in serum and urine, brain MRI, and the mutation in the CYP27A1 gene confirm the diagnosis of CTX. Early diagnosis and long-term treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid (750 mg/d) improve neurological symptoms and contribute to a better prognosis.

Project description:BackgroundClassic cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX; OMIM #213700) manifests with chronic diarrhea, juvenile cataracts, tendon xanthomas and neurological symptoms. It is due to biallelic inactivation of CYP27A1 wich leads to cholestanol accumulation in the central nervous system, eyes and tendons. Less commonly, the disease can present in young adults as spastic paraparesis in the absence of xanthomas.Case presentationWe report a 38-year old woman who presented with chronic diarrhea and progressive spastic paraparesis in her twenties. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed cerebral atrophy with diffuse periventricular white matter hyperintensities. Spinal MRI was normal. CYP27A1 gene sequencing confirmed the diagnosis of CTX. Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) treatment was introduced with remission of diarrhea. Unfortunately, the treatment had to be discontinued several times and the patient developed psychosis and an severe ataxospastic gait. Spinal MRI revealed new linear hyperintensities of the corticospinal and gracile tracts. Thirty-three spinal CTX patients were identified by searching in Pubmed, EMBASE™ and Web of Science databases. All patients presented pyramidal signs and 48% had dorsal column signs. Juvenile cataracts were described in 78% of patients, chronic diarrhea in 65%, and tendon xanthomas in 31%. Disease improvement or stabilization with chenodeoxycholic acid was observed in 69% of patients. A higher prevalence of the Arg395Cys allele was observed in patients with spinal CTX as compared to CTX in general (ᵡ2; p < 0.00001).ConclusionsThe diagnosis of spinal CTX can be easily missed or delayed in absence of xanthomas. There is a higher prevalence of the Arg395Cys allele in spinal CTX as compared to classic childhood-onset CTX. CDCA treatment seems to stabilize or improve clinical symptoms in most patients. However, as seen in our patient and in two previously reported cases, sudden interruption of CDCA may lead to irreversible neurological complications.

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Psychiatric manifestations in cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.

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Psychiatric manifestations in cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis.

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